Postgraduate profile: MBA construction and real estate

A construction and real estate MBA by distance learning has helped Christina Voda Forde with her job in real estate and her plans to work overseas.

I work in the engineering department of an Irish gas company and also run a real estate company with my husband. I opted for a specialist MBA as I wanted to acquire more knowledge of property in order to develop my career and gain new management techniques. Postgraduate study enables you to become very highly qualified in an industry that will always need specialist skills.

Managing real estate

My course is a big step up. The teaching is excellently structured but, as with all postgraduate study, I am expected to do a lot of research. Distance learning is perfect for me and I appreciate the support network - I get lots of feedback from my lecturers and colleagues through an interactive website.

You need to be disciplined, but if you want something badly enough you can do it! I have had to make sacrifices but it will be worth it as I'm gaining the most in-depth and up to date knowledge of the industry available.

Once I've finished the MBA I'll have the opportunity to become a chartered project manager. I'm from Romania, one of the newest EU countries, so I'd like to work there in the future and share my knowledge of EU regulations.

Christina Voda Forde studied an MBA in construction and real estate by distance learning with the College of Estate Management.