Immersed in evolving technologies

Mariestella De Leon pursued a career in IT for both its opportunities to be creative and industry demand – but VU offered her the secret weapon to study success.

"I initially chose the Bachelor of Information Technology at VU because I wanted to expand my knowledge about new technologies. IT is also in high demand in almost all industries – and continues to grow, so job opportunities will be great.

I became very interested in VU because of the Block Model of learning. The benefits of Block Model for me include doing one unit at a time, and getting to collaborate with more people each time I meet new peers in each block. Assessments are broken down into smaller tasks, which makes it more manageable.

Some of my friends going to other unis have difficulty trying to manage four units at once, with all the classes, assessments and exams that go along with that.

The Block Model’s timetable also allows more time outside of uni for my hobbies, like dancing, photography, filming and editing my own videos.

I had the opportunity to get my first work experience when I became the editor-in-chief of VU’s Hyde Magazine last year, which has given me so much more creative experience and confidence.

My advice for first years is to join clubs and societies, and attend lots of events to meet new people. If you get stressed out, it’s so important to take care of yourself. If you need help with lessons or assignments, your lecturers are there to help – because while they’re industry experts, they’re very approachable."