For someone who has already achieved so much in her life, Diana Olarte Caro recognises that studying a Master of International Economics and Finance at The University of Queensland (UQ) will take her career further.
From the time she was a little girl in Colombia, Diana Olarte Caro has always worked hard to turn her ambitions into reality.
Even though she has since built an enviable career which has taken her around the world, her decision to undertake a Master of International Economics and Finance at UQ points to maintaining that competitive edge.
“Over the last few years, the global energy landscape has been experiencing profound changes that create increasingly dynamic and unpredictable outcomes,” says Ms Olarte Caro, currently a senior production engineer with Shell and Maersk Oil.
“Despite my strong technical background in oil and gas, I felt the strong need for broadening my skills and knowledge to become a key player.
“Not only that, but it will also allow me to better contribute to overcoming some of the main challenges into the economic future.”
Not only has Ms Olarte Caro worked for some of the biggest global companies in the resources sector, but from early in her career she has pioneered innovative engineering solutions.
She invented a new fracture simulation technique for injector wells, only a few years after being part of a new mechanical well design that saved more than US$100 million on one particular extraction site alone.
“I have been actively involved in knowledge-sharing activities across the petroleum industry and authored many technical publications, however I still find my UQ experience is improving me,” she says.
“Taking the Master of International Economics and Finance has improved my critical thinking, discipline, sense of accomplishment, and my communication skills. It provides me with knowledge in global economics and finance and subsequently helps advance my career in a way that extends the possibilities for the next step that I take.
“One of my favourite things about doing the master's at UQ is that I can apply economic and financial approaches to practical issues in the global economy, and better understand the current challenges the world is experiencing.
“Throughout my career, I have managed challenging projects with successful results and high impact in my industry. But I decided I needed to obtain new skills to expand my view of the world, the energy industry and the economy as a whole.”
Asked for her reasons in selecting UQ as her place of study, Ms Olarte Caro points not only to its strong international and domestic reputation in higher education, but also to its idyllic extracurricular benefits.
“Brisbane is such a vibrant city, and one that offers a high-quality lifestyle with a fantastic climate,” she says.
“As a campus, St Lucia is wonderful, providing many first-rate facilities for students.
“You appreciate those things, no matter what stage of your career you are at.
“I realised at a young age that my ambition of exploring the world would not be easy, because there are not many opportunities for Colombians to work abroad and succeed, however higher education has given me the options in life I sought.
“Completing a master's at UQ is the next step in that evolution.”
Go further in your career by applying for the Master of International Economics and Finance at The University of Queensland.
