Samuel Riverton

Master of Supply Chain Management student

There’s a need for more people to understand supply chain management, says Samuel Riverton who is currently enrolled in the Master of Supply Chain Management.

“Supply chain management is a hot topic right now, for obvious reasons, and it’s something our society needs more minds focused on.”

He has always wanted to further upskill himself in the procurement area.

“20 years ago, my first full-time job as a teenager was in a mail order department of an electronics retailer. It was there I learned what a purchase order was, and I remember wishing I had a job raising those orders. I’ve since had experience in procurement and warehouse management with an IT reseller, followed by an auditing role in assurance services with Auckland Council, which gave me a completely fresh perspective on ethics within the procurement arena.

“I’m currently working in data collection for Statistics New Zealand while I full-time raise a toddler. Postgraduate study will help me upskill and give myself a competitive edge for returning to full-time work next year. AUT has an excellent reputation for offering marketable skills to graduates and was the natural choice for engaging in part-time study.”

The right choice
Samuel has enjoyed the variety of courses on offer as part of his degree, which he expects to complete in 2023.

“I’ve really appreciated the expertise I can draw on from the academic staff, and appreciated that the Master of Supply Chain Management also includes some business management courses, which adds more context to the programme.”

One particular assignment made an especially strong impression on him.

“An early assignment on organisational culture helped drive home the ideal that I really want to position myself to positively shape the culture where I work.”

A balancing act
Balancing study with childcare and work hasn’t always been easy, Samuel admits.

“The biggest challenge for me has been time management after taking on way too much between parenting, work and study obligations. But having lecturers like Gareth Jones and Dr Tago Mharapara who are understanding and empathetic to student challenges has been an incredible help.”

Despite the challenges, he has no doubt that returning to study was the right decision.

“When it comes to big life decisions, I tend to leap without looking; that’s why I’m doing this. This just feels right.”