By Kaplan Professional
Training and education forms a key component of a player’s professional development both as a person and an athlete. A 2012 survey of the full-time professional playing group found that 75% of Australia's Super Rugby players believed they performed better when undertaking some form of training or education program off the field.
The Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) aims to assist all members in seeking opportunities and undertaking further professional development throughout their careers. RUPA’s education partner, Kaplan Professional, is one of Australia’s leading providers of professional education and training in financial services and real estate. Kaplan Professional exists to enable individuals to achieve their educational and career goals through industry-relevant learning that is respected by employers across the country.
Kaplan Professional offers scholarships annually for professional Australian rugby union players interested in advancing their financial industry knowledge through selected postgraduate courses in applied finance and financial planning.
Western Force’s Zack Holmes and the Melbourne Rebels’ Cadeyrn Neville were awarded academic scholarships last year.
Zack Holmes’ Kaplan Professional Experience
By combining his current Kaplan Professional Master of Financial Planning study with an economics degree and a soon-to-be-completed commerce degree, Zack has armed himself with the knowledge necessary for a career in the industry post-rugby. “It gives me something else to focus on and doesn’t mean I’m constantly questioning what I’m going to do after rugby – my studies have given me a pathway for that,” he said.
Having experienced online learning, Zack said the flexibility has a number of advantages. “Although you’re not interacting directly with tutors or lecturers, you can take your work away and access material online, which is beneficial. The other advantage is that I have weeks where I wouldn’t be able to make university if I were doing it face-to-face.”
Despite his fledging career, Zack has been able to balance his personal and study commitments. “It wasn’t something I wanted to stop doing, as even before I was playing professionally I liked studying and playing rugby. Even with full-time rugby I still have enough downtime to get things done in training-free days. I like have something else to focus on other than just rugby,” he said.
Zack would recommend training and education outside of rugby to other players because you’ve only got a limited time playing the sport. “It helps to get a foot in the door while you’re still playing. Getting some study done now will help when players do finish their careers as they’ll have an idea of what they want to do. I think it’s important for guys to figure out interests other than rugby, so that they know what they can progress post-rugby,” he said.
Why Kaplan Professional?
Areas of specialisation:
Whether you’re looking to assist people achieve their financial goals or an on-the-go career in the dynamic real estate industry, we’ve got the right solution for you:
- Financial planning
- Real estate
- SMSF
- Insurance
- Credit management
- Finance and mortgage broking
- Leadership and management
- Work readiness
If you have completed previous study our exemption service allows you to apply for an exemption based on previous training, study and work experience.
Flexibility:
With training, match days and other personal responsibilities, it can be difficult to find the time to pursue education outside your professional commitments. We are progressive and think outside traditional boundaries to provide a way for you to maintain a healthy balance between career, personal and other pursuits.
Our courses are designed to be delivered online, supported by innovative and interactive learning resources. This allows you to study where and when you choose, anywhere in the world, without taking time out from your training and match days. With manageable completion deadlines, you structure your study to suit your own schedule.
Ongoing support:
We understand that studying isn’t always easy. You may not have studied for some time or perhaps you haven’t studied online previously. With a team of dedicated support staff committed to ensuring your success, assistance is never more than a phone call or email away.
As well as providing contacts to familiarise you with online learning and up-to-date with relevant study information, we monitor your academic progress. There are systems in place to ensure the early detection of students who may be struggling to make satisfactory progress. Appropriate support mechanisms are then implemented to assist students successfully complete their chosen course.
We're here to help
Would you like to know more about how Kaplan Professional can tailor an education or training solution to help you develop off the field? Please visit www.kaplanprofessional.edu.au for more information.
If you’d like to get in touch, we would love to hear from you. Please contact 1300 728 505 or email corporatesolutions@kaplan.edu.au.
