From fashion to freezers – Applied Business student thrives on real-world experience

Having worked in fashion and logistics for a suite of global companies for nearly 20 years, there’s not much that the Sri Lankan national doesn’t know about shipping clothes around the world.  

Ruwantha came to Unitec as an international student to do his Master’s in Applied Business, armed with a wealth of hands-on experience in the rag trade.  “Even though I had extensive product and business knowledge, and experience in supply chain management, I felt that a professional qualification would help enhance my career opportunities,” he explains. “I figured that an international education would allow me access to world-class facilities and industry insights that would further develop my knowledge. I chose New Zealand as a supply chain-driven country, and Unitec for its facilities and learning opportunities.” 

Specialising in Supply Chain Management and Logistics, Ruwantha has relished the programme’s real-world industry opportunities that allow students to work alongside leading retail businesses such as Gilmours.  

Ruwantha led a student project that focused on the internal implications of a supply chain disruption at the company, proposing an inventory and rental solution to help leverage a new freezer facility. The group also explored employee resilience to strengthen internal processes and identify future leaders. The project, which received top marks, showcased how students develop practical solutions to real challenges while gaining valuable team and leadership experience. “I enjoyed working with various groups of people from different nationalities and occupations, sharing knowledge and relating things learned from our professional work,” Ruwantha says. 

He says one of the most fulfilling aspects of the course is seeing how what he’s currently learning aligns with the daily tasks he’d been executing at work over the past nearly 20 years. “It makes sense of the actions and strategies that have supported me over the years but with more depth and conviction of the application through my studies.  

“I really enjoy the structured course which allows us to push our knowledge boundaries and present our work professionally,” he says. “I’ve also enjoyed presenting my work to an audience of people from different professions. This requires me to adapt my work to the technicality the subject demands and use simple, relatable terminology for everyone’s understanding.”