A business mind to advance social enterprise

Tyson Murphy applies the skills he gained during his postgraduate business studies to benefit social enterprise in the Aboriginal health sector.

"Working in Aboriginal health brings together two of my close interests: learning more about the vibrant and rich culture of Aboriginal Australia, and my passion for the health field.

I completed a degree in health promotion at another university and worked in the Aboriginal health sector for more than ten years.

My employer, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO), supported my return to postgradaute studies, which has been one of the best decisions of my life. I first enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, and progressed my studies into the Master of Business Administration (MBA). My MBA has assisted me in my new social enterprise development role at VACCHO, a not-for-profit (NFP) organisation. NFPs can no longer rely on traditional government grant funding to survive, so gaining commercial business skills through the MBA has meant that I can apply my skills to helping VACCHO look into other revenue streams to ensure they continue to provide their important core services.

I can confidently say that I have grown personally and professionally from my time at VU. I would also credit the MBA for contributing to the development of my interpersonal skills which are essential when moving into more senior positions. Participating in the Inaugural Study Asia Tour to Hong Kong was a highlight and memorable experience.

I never had any aspirations to study at postgraduate level, or even dreamt of commencing a Doctoral program, so completing my Masters was a monumental achievement." 

Tyson studied

• Graduate Certificate in Business Administration
• Master of Business Administration