Mapping a pathway to success
27 July 2009
Former Kangan Batman TAFE student Ranko Cosic with teachers Lucy Politino, Robert Trainor and Henaidy Helou.
Although his consultancy and training job sees him travel across the country from client to client, former Kangan Batman TAFE student Ranko Cosic's mind is never too far away from the classroom.
Returning to the Institute's Broadmeadows campus recently to thank his former teachers for their role in his career success, Ranko is preparing for the next step in his learning journey.
The high-achieving student is getting ready to hit the books again as an information technology masters student at Melbourne University - continuing a journey which all began with a Certificate II in Software Development at Kangan Batman TAFE.
Ranko's working life started out when he left secondary school and entered the construction and hospitality industries.
"The nature of work was very repetitive, not stimulating or challenging, but I choose that pathway because at the time, I wanted money in my pocket," he said.
"When I made the decision to change where I wanted to take my career, I ended up picking an area of study which I hadn't studied at school, but which really interested me."
Although he was living in Fitzroy at the time, Ranko enrolled in the Certificate II in Software Development at Broadmeadows and began the regular commute to and from campus. Over the next few years, he went on to complete his Certificate IV and then Diploma of Software Development.
"I quickly realised that Kangan Batman TAFE had a lot to offer - specifically the high calibre of teachers I was lucky enough to encounter in the Information Communication and Technology department," he said.
"At the time, I was dealing with certain issues aside from the academic side of things, so I greatly valued the support I received from my teachers, in particular Henaidy Helou, Lucy Politino, Robert Trainor and Peta Soorkia."
Ranko's learning journey with Kangan Batman TAFE kicked off a pathway through to further study. In 2004 he was offered places at Monash University, La Trobe University and Australian Catholic University(ACU) in the IT stream, electing to continue his studies with ACU.
"I finished my Bachelor of Information Systems in mid-2006, while working part-time with the City of Yarra," Ranko said.
"It's always been important to me to have a balance of study and life. I don't think there's any schooling that's as valuable as experience, so at this stage of my learning journey, it was important to me to get out into the workforce and learn some on-the-job skills.
"About a year after I graduated, I left the City of Yarra and moved into the private sector to broaden my experience."
Ranko then went on to further studies in training and assessment and worked as a consultant and trainer with McMillan Bird. His role saw him move between Melbourne and Sydney, working with a range of national and global clients.
The advent of the global financial crisis prompted another shift in career direction, leading Ranko to explore the possibilities of further study while continuing his role with McMillan Bird.
"I quickly realised that the private sector would feel the strain quite heavily - particularly in training - so over the past few months, I've adjusted my strategic direction, decided to go back to tertiary study and undertake my masters in information systems," he said.
"Moving into the education sector as a teacher is a possibility for the future, and I might consider doing my PhD."
Along with his Kangan Batman TAFE teachers, Ranko credits Emeritus Professor Anargyros Bartzis and his parents for much of his success, relying heavily on their support and guidance throughout his learning journey.
