Melbourne Alumnus, Evan Chatelier thoroughly enjoyed the Bachelor of Arts (Honours), flexibility and practical aspects. As part of Evan’s studies, he majored in international relations and Middle East studies. Evan takes the time to reflect below on his career journey so far and importance of developing a tangible skillset.
Why did you choose to study a Bachelor of Arts?
Evan: When I first enrolled, I was unsure of the particular path of study that I wanted to follow. I liked the flexibility of the BA program, and my first year of study featured a wide variety of classes including sociology, criminology, and communications. Being able to study a variety of electives allowed me to test the waters and find out what area of study I wanted to participate in.
What would you say were the most memorable things that you did as part of your course?
Evan: The best assessments were those that involved practical aspects – in particular, the Middle East Political Simulation “the Sim” that features in multiple Middle East Studies units was an absolute game changer for me. This assessment, which I participated in three separate times over my time at Deakin, was the closest thing to “real world” experience that the BA program offered. In the Sim, students are placed into teams and those teams are assigned the role of a leader in the Middle East region. Teams then participate in a fortnight-long ‘simulation’ that takes place in an online forum, and are expected to engage in real-time diplomacy with other world leaders within the scenario.
What have you been doing since you graduated?
Evan: Following my graduation, I began working for the Parliament of Victoria as an electorate officer, assisting two state MPs with their electorate office operations. Working as an electorate officer was a highly rewarding position – my day was spent assisting members of the electorate with issues and concerns they had, as well as putting my writing and editing skills to good use by writing speeches and drafting letters on behalf of the politicians that I worked for.
Did your studies prepare you for your future career?
Evan: So many of the skills that I used on a daily basis as an electorate officer were obtained or strengthened through the Graduate Learning Outcomes of my course. Communication, digital literacy, critical thinking, problem solving, self-management, teamwork, writing skills – there are so many aspects of my course that have been of daily use in my work environments. In fact, the skills obtained in the degree were of more importance than the knowledge obtained, and have been transferable across multiple workplaces in very different fields.
Working as an electorate officer was a highly rewarding position – my day was spent assisting members of the electorate with issues and concerns they had, as well as putting my writing and editing skills to good use by writing speeches and drafting letters on behalf of the politicians that I worked for.
Evan studied Deakin University’s Bachelor of Arts (Honours).
majoring in international relations and Middle East studies.
Visit Arts at Deakin to view the range of course combinations on offer.