Student Highlights
Mastering dreams: Azka’s tech company success

When Azka enrolled in a Master of Applied Finance and Master of Business Administration at the University of Newcastle, her dream was to one day work at one of the Big Four banks. Now she is chasing an even bigger dream. And it’s becoming reality.  

After finishing her double Masters in 2019, Azka landed a job within one week of graduating - working in an Advisory role at an Australian Forex Broker based in Sydney CBD. Then, after a year of work, she took a leap of faith and swapped long office hours for the flexibility of self-employment.

“My partner and I now run a tech company called Aitomation. My startup specialises in robotic process automation, browser automation, mobile automation, QA testing & data scraping,” Azka said.

As Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Azka manages ten staff as well as operations and financials, and oversees recruitment, company policies and marketing for the company.

“Running your own business is quite challenging as you need to have the knowledge of overall skillset so you can monitor and take over when required,” Azka explains.

Luckily, Azka said the Master of Applied Finance and Master of Business Administration double degree prepared her with the know-how to navigate the challenges of starting a company.

“During my coursework I studied business functions like marketing, HR and finance which help me a lot in my day-to-day role. I have a good knowledge of contractual law as well, which I studied during the course,” Azka said.

Having studied a bachelor degree in Pakistan before moving to Australia to pursue postgraduate study, Azka said the diverse environment at the University of Newcastle helped her grow more confidence and global awareness.

“The University has students from all over the world so the multicultural aspect of it is really great. You can connect with a lot of people.

“The course gives you a good learning experience and helps you greatly in leadership roles,” Azka said.

For people considering studying at the University of Newcastle, Azka offers some first-hand advice.

“I definitely recommend studying in University of Newcastle to students. I learned a lot and the support from the staff was unmatched - I feel like my learning was enhanced because of them.

“I graduated both my degrees with Distinction and I believe it would have been very hard if I didn’t have all the resources provided to me by the University,” Azka said.

The future looks bright for Azka and her company. Currently based in Pakistan, Azka said she hopes to move the company headquarters back to Australia once COVID-19 restrictions ease.

“I want to expand Aitomation in Australia. As a female founder and a business owner I want to also connect with the University of Newcastle and offer guidance to students who wish to be self-employed.

Armed with the tools and skills to succeed, Azka has been empowered to pursue her dreams, and realise even bigger dreams.

“Within the next five years I want to be a big name in the robotic process automation landscape,” Azka said.

`

Azka

When Azka enrolled in a Master of Applied Finance and Master of Business Administration at the University of Newcastle, her dream was to one day work at one of the Big Four banks. Now she is chasing an even bigger dream. And it’s becoming reality.

During my coursework I studied business functions like marketing, HR and finance which help me a lot in my day-to-day role. I have a good knowledge of contractual law as well, which I studied during the course.