Andrew Forrester

Studying remotely in Far North Queensland during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Griffith University MBA graduate Andrew Forrester, maintained a connection to his cohort through participation in the Business PLUS program.

Business PLUS aims to ensure graduates are job ready through career coaching, resume building and interview techniques and over the past 18 months, has been offered increasingly online.

Through his involvement in the Business PLUS program during the final year of his studies in 2020, the mature age student was encouraged to volunteer for the Cairns Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, Mr Forrester revamped the Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) participant information guides for the region, a project that was endorsed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. DAMA is a formal agreement between the Australian Government and a regional authority that allows employers in the region to sponsor skilled and semi-skilled overseas workers for positions that can’t be filled by local workers.

There are seven such agreements nationwide, with Far North Queensland the only locality in Queensland to have this arrangement in place.

This experience inspired Mr Forrester to apply to complete further study, looking at human resource managers’ perceptions of employability of foreign workers in regional centres and the barriers and opportunities these preconceived ideas create.

“I want to delve deeper into the area and make a positive contribution to the future growth and sustainability of the region,” Mr Forrester said.

With a diverse career history, spanning aviation, government, private sector and the Royal Australian Navy, a medical discharge left the 46-year-old at a crossroads.

“It was time to get my brain back into pre-defence thinking,” Mr Forrester said. “Griffith offered the most appealing, dynamic and edgy MBA,” he added.

Studying online and part time, Mr Forrester commenced his MBA in 2015. Since graduating last year, Mr Forrester has been busy running his management consultancy, which has a human resources focus, as well as his building management business.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Forrester pivoted his building management business – which had previously had an Airbnb focus – to also service commercial properties and medical facilities.

“My day to day involves accounts, client management, portfolio management, supplier liaison, human resources, policies and governance, marketing, workplace health and safety, litigation and even debtor management,” Mr Forrester said.

Mr Forrester is looking forward to returning to the Cairns Chamber of Commerce at the next board elections. He also has aspirations of practising commercial law in regional Far North Queensland.

“My Griffith MBA brought my business and management skills into the 2020s,” Mr Forrester said.

“The MBA increased my knowledge about sustainable business practices, financial accounting, marketing and communication,” he added.

“Griffith nurtured my desire to commit to continued self-improvement through study.”