Alumni in profile
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Bachelor of Commerce 2004
Canadian graduate Jane MacAulay did not expect to remain in Australia working after she finished her studies.
Jane graduated with a commerce degree from Deakin in 2004 and was soon employed as the marketing manager for locally renowned restaurant and boutique accommodation provider Bellbrae Harvest, located near Anglesea in Victoria. She says her role was a fantastic learning experience.
"Since they are a rural property, it made my marketing job even more challenging. Having the restaurant, homemade produce and four-star accommodation gave me all angles to bring in new customers. Most importantly the property is beautiful and the food is fantastic. Having a great product to sell makes marketing it enjoyable. As well as being the marketing manager, I worked in the restaurant and therefore got to find out how new visitors found us," she said.
"Bellbrae is a small business, with a great team. I learnt about all aspects of running a hospitality property. As for the marketing aspect, I had the freedom to explore and research all aspects of marketing within the industry and make decisions I felt were appropriate for the business," she said.
Jane has spent many years travelling around Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and South-East Asia. Before her studies at Deakin, Jane completed a hospitality diploma and spent two terms overseas.
"I have learnt a great deal visiting and working in different countries and cultures. My first hospitality job was in Greece when I was 18, and the people I worked for did not speak much English (if any), and I do not speak Greek. Running a restaurant and not having the option of verbal communicating was a fascinating experience," she says.
It seems Jane doesn't regret taking the big step to leave her family and friends half a world away to study in Australia.
"The commerce course at Deakin brought me to Australia and since coming here I have found that the opportunities and people have been just great. I initially lived in Melbourne and attended the Burwood campus however I was keen to come to Geelong and Deakin made it easy for me to transfer campuses allowing me to study at the Waurn Ponds campus and live on the Surf Coast at Torquay," she said.
Jane thoroughly enjoyed her time studying at Deakin.
"There were so many things I enjoyed. I did a six-month internship with the Deakin Marketing Division in Geelong as part of my degree-I just got so much out of it. Working with Kath Walsh and Deakin Marketing was a great learning experience for me. Kath especially gave me the confidence to pursue marketing as a career, which resulted in Bellbrae Harvest's owners sponsoring me to stay in Australia. The staff who taught me and who I worked with at Deakin were just fantastic," she said.
In addition to her work at Bellbrae, Jane also worked at the Waurn Ponds campus in the Deakin Merchandise Shop on a casual basis.
As for the future, Jane plans to open her own hospitality property in Canada prior to the 2010 Olympics hosted by Vancouver/Whistler.
"I have enjoyed working and travelling for seven years now and this year plan to travel the world researching food and wine and to use what I learn to open a boutique restaurant and accommodation property back home in Canada-from there who knows!"
