SINGH, Ranjit

Degree

Master of Information Systems

Graduation year

2009

Current position

Mortgage Broker, and Business Owner

Employer

Mortgage Choice, and East India Trading Company

Country of origin

India

Hi, I’m Ranjit Singh, but you can call me Ronnie. I started studying at FedUni in July 2007 on a Master of Information Systems, and I’m still here in Ballarat, a decade later, with a family and business of my own.

From day one, I loved the Mt Helen campus. It was everything I’d ever dreamt of – professional staff, experienced lecturers, excellent sports facilities and a friendly environment. The library was always a great place to hang out as it was warm and full of resources, so I didn’t have to buy many books. The program was really well organised, and I got all the help I could want from my tutors.

Early on, I joined the student association for postgrads because I wanted to meet other international students and get involved in activities and events. The Uni organised activities and took us on trips to local places like the beautiful Grampian Mountains. They even helped me organise a group camping trip to a vineyard. It was great to get out to the countryside and see all the local sights.

I made good friends with a student called Ezster, who was on an exchange program from Hungary. We went on a trip together to the Northern Territory. It was my first time backpacking, and it’s really the best way to learn about a country and its history. We got tickets for the famous Ghan train and off we went, spending two days in Alice Springs and a week up north in Darwin. It was a wonderful experience, and I learnt a lot about Australia’s history of indigenous people.

At the start of my second semester, I rented a house with a couple of Australian students. I started working part-time in hotels, working with locals, making new friends and learning new things every day. I even met my future wife! Hayley and I travelled together to Adelaide, the Gold Coast and even Hawaii before we decided to buy a block of land, build a house and start a family.

These days, we’ve got one child and another on the way. I work as a mortgage broker and run my own business – the East India Trading Company. I’m really passionate about food, and it’s always been my dream to run a business. We’re a small business, but we’ve worked at some great events and in partnership with local restaurants and retailers. We’ve even been nominated for the Ballarat Business Excellence Awards the last two years in a row. This year, I know we’re going to win!

Studying at FedUni has opened up a whole new life for me. I’ve travelled, met great people, started a family, started a business – who knows where it might take you!