Chanont Jerdvitcha

Chanont Jerdvitcha is studying in the Bachelor of International Business Programme with the goal of successfully running his family business.

His father has a printing company not far from Bangkok, which Chanont, as the only son, will eventually head – a prospect he looks forward to. After all, he says, he wants to be a good son and it’s a prosperous business so he will make good money.

However Chanont also has his own aspirations. ”Eventually I intend to start my own business. I actually want to study engineering as well as international business and combine those skills to start some kind of mechanical or electrical business. This is a long-term plan though. I hope to graduate from AIS at the end of next year and then I’ll go back home and work with my Dad. I plan to study engineering in Thailand further down the track.”

Chanont came to New Zealand as a teenager to learn English, to study and for a new life experience. Initially he lived in a homestay and completed Years 12 and 13 at Mt Albert Grammar. He’s done a lot of growing up in the three years he’s been here. “I live by myself now. It’s good, but it’s hard. There’s nobody to do the cooking and cleaning, just me. Before I couldn’t cook, but now I can. I learned off the internet!”

In his spare-time Chanont enjoys going to restaurants and bars, and singing karaoke at home with his friends. Committed to his studies, he also spends a lot of time with his nose buried in his International Business books.

“I’m really enjoying the Bachelor of International Business course. It’s very useful. In Thailand there are 60 or 70 people in one class, even at high school! Here the classes are small so everything is a lot easier to understand.”

Chanont also believes the Certificate in Business Studies gave me a good foundation for further study. “It was really good preparation. I’m so glad I did it. It was far better than going straight into the degree programme and knowing nothing about it. The other great thing about studying in New Zealand is that there is a lot more choice of subjects. You have the freedom to choose. We don’t get that so much at home.”