• A first-in-family graduate enjoyed the flexibility of part-time online study at a pace that suited her while working full-time in the public service
• There are nearly 200,000 personnel in the Australian Public Service, of which 60.5 per cent are female

The educational journey of a recent Charles Sturt University graduate has been different from the traditional pathway of going straight from high school to university.

Ms Ramona Weston recently graduated in the Charles Sturt School of Social Work and Arts with a Bachelor of Arts with a sociology major and a minor in politics and government.

She entered the workforce after finishing high school in 2017 and worked full-time for two years before beginning her degree in 2020.

“By the time I started university, I was already building a career in the Australian Public Service, and I continued working full-time throughout my studies,” Ramona said.

She is one of nearly 200,000 personnel in the Australian Public Service, of which 60.5 per cent are female.

Ramona proudly identifies as First Nations, and as a Torres Strait Islander. Her family originates from Masig Island (Yorke Island) in the central islands of the Torres Strait, but she grew up in Innisfail, Queensland, and is currently based in Brisbane.

“I’m incredibly proud to be the first person in my family to graduate from university, particularly knowing that I completed my degree while continuing to work full-time and building my career,” Ramona said.

A big part of her motivation to study was wanting to further her career and open more opportunities for herself in the future.

“I chose a Bachelor of Arts because it was broad and allowed me to study areas that interested me while still being relevant to the work I was already doing; it complemented my professional experience rather than solely preparing me to enter the workforce,” she said.

“Sociology, politics and government felt particularly applicable to a career in the public service and helped me better understand the people, communities and systems that government decisions can impact and it has given me another foundation to draw on in my career.

“My studies have helped me strengthen my research and writing abilities, refine skills I had already developed throughout my career, and explore topics and perspectives in greater depth than I may have the opportunity to do in a workplace.”

Ramona recommends Charles Sturt University to people who are already working and want to balance study with their existing career and commitments.

“The flexibility of online study and the option to complete my degree part-time allowed me to continue working full-time while progressing my studies at a pace that worked for me,” she said.

“While it can still be challenging, having that flexibility made completing a degree much more achievable.”

Ramona said the biggest highlight of her Charles Sturt studies was the opportunity to participate in an Indian Summer School program with Parul University in India.

“I spent two weeks completing a Global Social Impact Project, which involved visiting local villages and engaging with communities to better understand their experiences and consider how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals could be applied within those communities,” she said.

During the final two years of her degree, Ramona held an Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) scholarship. She has remained actively involved with AIEF as a member of their alumni community and recently spoke about her educational journey at the AIEF Ambassador’s Briefing in Sydney in April 2026.

For now, Ramona’s plan is to focus on the next stage of her career.

“I have recently moved into a new role within the Australian Public Service that aligns closely with many of the areas I explored throughout my degree, so I’m excited to apply both my academic and professional experience in a new context,” she said.

“I’m also looking forward to having a bit more time to enjoy life without an assignment deadline hanging over me!”