Western Sydney local, Ron Rocio has joined over 200 degree graduates from across the state at the Higher Education Graduation Ceremony held at TAFE NSW Ultimo this week.

Ron Rocio was awarded with the prestigious Outstanding Student Award for his achievements while studying a Bachelor of Applied Finance (Financial Planning) in front of an audience including TAFE NSW Managing Director Dr Caralee McLiesh.

Originally from the Philippines, Ron is a TAFE NSW St George graduate. During his time at TAFE NSW, Ron secured a job with the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) and is currently the Technical Education Coordinator, in which he supervises the technical content of the CFP program.

Ron decided to study at TAFE NSW because of the cost-effective, quality education provided which makes students job-ready. Before enrolling to study at TAFE NSW, Ron considered other providers including the curriculum options at university.

“When I decided I wanted to study in Australia, I reviewed the curriculum options at university but discovered that I could get the same qualification with more valuable hands-on learning opportunities which were more cost effective at TAFE NSW.

“I did lots of research and quickly discovered TAFE NSW was a good fit for me. It offered a more hands-on approach to learning and the recommendations from others led me to discover that I could get a more personalised approach to learning which was important to me,” Mr Rocio said.

As a career-changer, Mr Rocio came to Australia in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts in the School of Design and Arts at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde the University. While working in advertising, Ron realised having experience in communication and upskilling with financial knowledge would be beneficial for him and his clients.

“While working in advertising, I had clients such as Citibank which required me to be familiar with financial language. During this time, I recognised financial training would add value to my role and the skills can be applied anywhere in the world,” Mr Rocio said.

TAFE NSW Deputy Regional General Manager, Paul Williams, commended the graduates on their commitment and dedication to studying a degree at TAFE NSW, which has equipped them with the practical skills and work experience they need to pursue their chosen career.

“All TAFE NSW graduates have had first-hand contact with leading employers and understand their chosen industry through both practical and theoretic study. We congratulate them on their achievements and are confident they will have successful and satisfying careers,” Paul Williams said.

The ceremony also included graduates from the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and Care, Associate Degree of Applied Engineering (Renewable Energy Technologies), Associate Degree of Accounting, Diploma of Accounting, Bachelor of Applied Commerce and Diploma of Applied Commerce.

For more information about studying a Degree at TAFE NSW, visit tafensw.edu.au or call 131 601.

Media contact: Laura Kelly, TAFE NSW Business Partner, mobile 0411 777 676 or laura.kelly40@tafensw.edu.au