Madison Ashby
People & Capability Administrator, Auckland Kindergarten Association
Bachelor of Business in Human Resource Management and Employment Relations
When she was in high school, she knew she wanted to study business at university, says Madison Ashby who came to AUT to study a Bachelor of Business in Human Resource Management and Employment Relations.
“Business studies was my favourite subject in school. I was most interested in human resource management and employment relations as I wanted to learn the ins and outs of how a workplace operates. HR is such a diverse industry with different opportunities and areas to go into.
“One of the main reasons I chose AUT was the opportunity to complete workplace experience in the final year of the degree. This is a great way to test if what you’ve chosen to study is where you want to be, but also provides you with experience in your chosen field before going into the workforce after graduating. I also chose AUT because when I went to AUT LIVE, AUT’s open day, I felt comfortable and the atmosphere was for me. The liveliness of the university was well shown at AUT LIVE, and the staff I spoke to were so passionate about AUT.”
It was a decision she certainly hasn’t regretted and there were plenty of highlights throughout her time at AUT.
“My first year would be one of my highlights as I was able to get a taste of different parts of the business degree through the first-year courses. In my second semester of my first year, I was also able to start taking courses that were focused on areas of HR. I enjoyed making friends over the three years of my degree, and my final-year workplace experience was another highlight.”
An enjoyable HR career
After graduating from AUT in 2021, Madison didn’t have to look far for her first role after university; she joined AUT’s People & Culture team as a recruitment co-ordinator, a role she held for almost two years. She has since started working for the Auckland Kindergarten Association and loves the variety her current role offers.
“I’m the first point of contact for staff on HR queries and requests, and support the People & Capability team, send out contracts and letters to new and current staff, set up new employees in our systems, work closely with our payroll team, and provide support with HR queries and requests. I also like that there are opportunities for development and being a part of different projects. No two days are the same in my role, and I love working with my team.”
She is proud of what she has already achieved in her career so far.
“I’m proud that in each of my roles since graduating from AUT, I’ve been able to show my passion, capability and eagerness to learn. Both of my managers have provided opportunities for me to learn new skills and have exposure to new areas that may not be in my primary role. An example of this, is that when I was working at AUT, I was able to learn how to screen CV’s, interview and place temps into roles. Another example is that in my current role, I’ve also had exposure to health and safety. This has led to me to completing and achieving the NZQA standard to be a trained health and safety representative.”
Advice for other students
Madison – who is proud of being inducted into the international honours society for high-achieving business students, Beta Gamma Sigma – has some great advice for other students.
“Enjoy uni while you’re studying. Yes, it can be stressful when it comes to assignments and exams, but also take the opportunity to make friends, go for lunch and enjoy the uni atmosphere. Don’t forget to use the opportunities to talk with your lecturer or teaching assistants. Be proactive. Start that assignment early. Start studying early. Trust yourself. You’ve got this!”
Her other piece of advice is simple: ask questions.
“No question is a silly question. It’s better that you understand what you’re doing an assignment on or the content you’re learning in a lecture.”
