Finally, a course that figures
After years at uni, UCOL student takes to accounting
Candice Lillington left Whanganui Collegiate School with little idea about what she was getting herself into. She knew she was going to study and she knew it was going to be at the University of Canterbury.
What ensued was a dabble in mathematics, biochemistry, Latin and linguistics and library studies, with not one subject standing out.
After about four years of trying to find the right fit, Lillington moved home where she began working in retail and signed up at UCOL.
Lillington, 25, embarked on a business course at the educational institute on Rutland St and during the first semester, something finally stood out.
“There was an accounting bit in my current paper and I really enjoyed it. I never did it at school, I always thought it sounded boring, but it’s fun,” Lillington says.
“It just makes sense. I put everything in and go ‘yeah, that works’ and if something doesn’t work, you can figure out why . . . I like how straightforward it is.”
Enthused by her newfound interest, Lillington applied for a scholarship as she prepared to study business accounting in semester two.
She was delighted when Cameron Town from Silks Audit Chartered Accountants awarded her the scholarship formed by several local businesses. Lillington is not sure what the scholarship will be
worth, but whatever the figure, will put it towards paying her fees next semester.
“I was so pleased and excited to receive this scholarship,” she says.
“The local accounting community want more people to succeed, which is a really nice feeling.”
Lillington has a lot on her plate outside of the lecture theatre as well.
Her parents Graham and Jane Lillington run Jamie’s Angels, a home-style meal delivery service that she is happy to help them with.
On busy days, Lillington will be cooking, washing dishes and preparing personalised meals for a range of customers around Whanganui.
The business was started by her brother James Lillington, who sold it to his parents before moving from Whanganui. He is now driving tractors in Nelson.
Lillington was born in the UK and relishes the chance to do the volunteer work with her parents.
“My dad’s job in the UK meant he was never home. He just didn’t see us kids at all, he’d leave at six in the morning and get home at 10 at night,” she says.
“We lived in Surrey. Dad worked in London as a desktop publisher and he had to commute. One day our parents just picked us up and we vanished.”
The Lillingtons travelled for about six months, during which time they visited distant relatives in Whanganui. They liked it so much that they stayed.
Lillington attended St George’s School and later her parents started selling crepes at the Whanganui River Market, where Lillington now works at Havoc Coffee.
As if that was not enough, Lillington also has an afternoon job at Armstrong Barton Lawyers.
Lillington credits UCOL for allowing her to fit all of her tasks in. “We’ve got small classes at UCOL, all the teachers are very invested in each pupil doing well and they know everyone has another life,” she says.
“They want everyone to do well. There were so many people at uni, I found they just fell through the cracks really easily and no one actually paid any attention.”
Lillington finally feels she is following the right path. She has plans to finish this year of study before taking on full time work and finishing her studies part-time.