From Deloitte to Cambridge... a world of opportunities

Chris Atkinson (Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Commerce, 2010) shares his experiences at Deakin and beyond.

Since graduating I have begun work as a graduate analyst in Deloitte Corporate Tax. I am a member of the 'tax controversy' team and there is never a dull moment!

My interaction with individuals from other universities has shown me that the Deakin Law and Commerce degrees are as good as, or better than, those from any other Victorian institution. The opportunities I received while studying at Deakin have provided the basis for what I hope is a successful career in professional services.

While at Deakin I took advantage of every opportunity I could to travel, participating in the Business and Law India Study Tour, and also a semester abroad on exchange to Uppsala University, Sweden. It is these times which define your university experience, and I am so glad that I made the effort to get involved.

I really enjoyed being active in student life at Deakin, and was on the committee of the Deakin Commerce Students' Society (DCSS) for the final four years of my studies. My involvement in the DCSS directly led to several other opportunities, such as attending conferences, speaking at functions and - in part - to my current job!

Another fantastic program offered by Deakin is the Business Internship Program, headed by Craig McGowan. As part of this program I undertook a vacationer placement at Deloitte at the end of my second year. With this experience I was able to form a fantastic relationship with the firm, and I was lucky enough to be employed continually on a part time basis for the last three years of my degree.

A key aspect of both the LLB and BCom was their practical focus, which I think readies Deakin graduates for the workforce. I feel as though I was able to "hit the ground running" at Deloitte, which has been fantastic.

Chris Atkinson, 2010 graduate

2011-2012 update:
Studying at Cambridge

In 2011-2012 Chris was the recipient of the prestigious David M. Livingstone (Australia) Scholarship to study his Master of Laws at Cambridge University.

You can read more about his experiences at Cambridge in this Sydney Morning Herald article.