Five years of success! Celebrating the Port Macquarie Campus Master of Information Technology Alumni

In 2018, the School of Computing, Mathematics and Engineering at Charles Sturt University launched its Master of Information Technology course at our scenic Port Macquarie campus. The course has since proven to be a tremendous success, with over 65 graduates to date.

The Master of Information Technology has a strong focus on emerging areas such as Data Science, Cyber Security and Software Development, which has made it popular with international students from 12 countries.

Course Director and Senior Lecturer in Computing Dr Sabih Rehman said, “Countries our students and graduates come from include Colombia, Nigeria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal. “Women comprise 28 per cent of the total course enrolments, and it is encouraging to see more women in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related discipline.”

Throughout the past five years, the international students have also made a positive impact on the local community through activities such as a Talent Hackathon where they worked with local businesses to solve problems through technological innovations, and by volunteering to facilitate coding workshops for primary school children.

This year, the course has been replaced with the new and improved Master of Professional Information Technology with a stronger focus on developing job-ready graduates in the key areas of skills shortages.

Two of the success stories of our graduates include Hina Hussain and Danial Motahari.

Hina Hussain

Master of Information Technology

(Cyber Security/ Software Design and Development), 2020

Hina, originally from Pakistan is working as a Quality Assurance Analyst with Pegasus limited – a leading provider of cloud-based workforce management solutions. In her role, Hina is involved in development and planning and execution of test plans and scripts for various projects.

“As a developer, I always wanted to choose a career that is not just limited to coding but also includes documentation and testing. Testing, exploring the software, and especially the area of dark web has always piqued my interest. Specialising in Software design and Cyber Security, the role of Quality Analyst (QA) fascinates me; every day brings a new challenge when you are dealing with different kinds of software and applications. I am lucky to have had this opportunity and start my career as a QA. It will help build my knowledge and skills towards becoming a pen tester - a vital role for ensuring security of an organisation's IT systems.

“Hailing from a small town in Pakistan, I am the first female in my family who had a chance to pursue higher studies abroad and have a supportive family who backed me to pursue my dreams. I also have immense support from my mentor Dr. Sabih Rehman, both during my studies and whilst working.

“I would advise current students that if you are prepared to go the extra mile and believe in yourself, take the first steps towards your goals. I was lucky to have a supportive environment at Charles Sturt and the guidance from the lecturers was life-changing.”

Danial Motahari

Master of Information Technology (Software Design and Development), 2019

Originally from Iran, Danial is currently working as Senior Mobile Developer in Rokt – a global leader in ecommerce and provides personalised experiences for their clients using AI-driven tools to better understand consumers.

“My role while being quite technical is also very varied. In any one week I can be working on developing solutions for the mobile industry, testing new iOS and android technologies as well as supporting our ecommerce partners as required. Due to the constantly evolving nature of the software industry, we often don’t know what each day will bring. I love the challenges my role provides with so much variety.

“I have been interested in exploring computers especially programming since my childhood and this led me to specialise in IT, I am also lucky to have supportive people in my life. My partner, Sahba has been especially supportive and motivated me to follow my dreams and ambitions that have led me to where I currently am. I would also like to thank Dr Sabih Rehman who has been my mentor since I joined Charles Sturt and has guided me along the way on various aspects.

“One of the biggest challenges I faced as an international student was to regain the semblance of the lifestyle I enjoyed before moving to Australia. I was well settled in my home country of Iran, but moving to Australia as an international student meant starting all over again. However, this is a small price to pay to achieve your dreams!”