A Griffith University student making a mid-life career change to become a financial planner has been named the joint winner of the 2021 AMP University Challenge.
Mature age student Jamie Lee Fraser shared top honours in the national financial planning competition with two students from Deakin University and all three will now share the first and second place prize pool.
With one more subject left before graduating from her studies at Griffith Business School, where she initially started Accountancy only to realise Financial Planning was a better way to help people, Jamie Lee said everyone needed a financial planner.
“For me, financial planning is more about helping people really achieve their goals and work towards a financial future that is comfortable for them”
“For me, financial planning is more about helping people really achieve their goals and work towards a financial future that is comfortable for them,” she explained.
“It’s really getting more involved, helping them through the life stages, and I think that’s what’s connects with me more, because I can help people more.”
Like many, Jamie Lee admits that without any financial advice in her early years, she adopted some bad habits.
“I left high school and made a lot of the wrong decisions, like getting credit cards and loans and all sorts of things and got myself into quite a bit of debt, which I had to work a couple of jobs to pay down,” she said.
She says that experience taught her a lot, and combined with her studies, has left her well placed to help others.
“Life experience actually sets you up so much more. A lot of the mature age students say that too, but particularly in the industry that you’re going to be entering as well.
“I think it’s one of those things about being a mature age student to especially in my case, I’m definitely a lot more focused and motivated to do this.
“If I had gone to uni, straight out of high school, I don’t know if things would have worked out this way.”
Jamie thanked both Griffith and AMP for the opportunity to join the challenge, which is integrated into the curriculum and assessment for students studying financial planning majors at Griffith, Central Queensland University, Deakin University, TAFE NSW, University of Wollongong, Charles Sturt University and Western Sydney University.
“It’s really great that AMP is supporting the up-and-coming students who are looking to get into the industry, not only through this event, but also through the scholarships that the organisation provides to the universities. It’s a big help for us,” she said.”