In the 2007 Good Universities Guide, CQU received 5-stars for graduate outcomes and 4 stars for getting a job, so it’s not unusual that Sarah Pines, a CQU Gladstone business graduate, is working full time. What is unusual is how quickly she reached her goal.

Sarah began her studies with CQU Gladstone in 2004 and completed her degree in June this year, at just 19 years of age.

To add to her impressive list of achievements, 5 months before the completion of her degree Sarah secured full-time employment in her ideal job.

Ms Pines believes finishing university at such a young age will be a big advantage to her career due to the extra experience she now has compared to other people her age.

“It has also given me the opportunity, if I wanted to, to go back to university and continue my study while still young,” said Ms Pines.

The advantage Sarah talks of required a tremendous effort on her behalf, studying more than the recommended subject load and studying through her holidays.

Sarah said she transferred to study in external mode, after her first semester on campus, because of the flexibility it offered.

“I also took advantage of CQU’s fast-track system and for the majority of my degree I studied 5 subjects at a time as well as 2 or 3 subjects over the summer holidays.

“At the end of 2005 I was selected to take part in the Boyne Smelter Vacation Student Program where I worked for 6 months within their HR department. I decided I really enjoyed what I was doing there and that I would have a go at starting a career before I finished university instead of waiting,” said Sarah.

After deciding she would like to work in Brisbane, Sarah applied for a range of positions and arranged a week of interviews.

“I was quite shocked by the response I had received from my applications and ended up having 12 interviews in place in one week. On the third day of interviews I had one with Ambit Recruitment and decided that if I was offered the position I would accept as it had the best opportunities for me.

“I attended all the interviews and ended up being offered 4 positions, Ambit Recruitment being one of them. I started work that Friday with Ambit Recruitment.

“I have now been here 6 months as an engineering recruitment consultant where I look after all the engineering recruitment for the whole of Queensland. I now work with and recruit for major international and local engineering organizations,” said Ms Pines.

Sarah’s final 3 university subjects were completed while working full time for Ambit Recruitment.