Natalie Watt

An ICMS Master of Management for ICMS Executive Officer Natalie Watt will be yet another stepping stone in a career that has evolved from interior design to events and into management, and beyond.

When the opportunity arose to study a postgraduate degree at the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS), Natalie was able to fulfil a lifelong ambition to study further.

Previously, Natalie had started a Master of Event Management at the University of Queensland but withdrew after returning to Sydney to take care of her father. A decade passed, and it was during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns when she seriously considered restarting her postgraduate studies, encouraged by her ICMS alumnus manager and mentor.

“I’ve always wanted to complete my master’s degree. After meeting and hearing all the success stories of ICMS graduands, and how well they are looked after, it’s no brainer that ICMS was my only choice to do my master degree here,” Natalie said.

Building on previous higher education achieved

Natalie already holds a graduate certificate in International Events Management from the University of Queensland (2009), and a Bachelor of Design (Interior Design) from the University of Technology Sydney (2007) and has worked in events and hospitality prior to her appointment as Executive Officer in the ICMS CEO office in 2020.

Natalie’s current role encompasses several aspects within ICMS, including governance, strategies, operation, culture, and support for the executive team.

In her day job and in her studies, Natalie is surrounded by ICMS students and lecturers.

“The highlight of working at ICMS and in education is watching the students walk across the stage at graduation. In my line of work, I get to meet a lot of students who are outside of my program of study, and I hear so many success stories on their growth throughout the ICMS journey. It is so rewarding being able to contribute to their journey as they grow as a student and as a person to achieve professional success,” Natalie said.

Inspired by student stories of graduating with career-focused degrees that unlocked their professional potential, Natalie signed up for an ICMS Master of Management, a general postgraduate degree that empowers students, sharpens industry knowledge and prepares them for leadership roles through the development of strategic thinking and conceptual, analytic and practical skills.

Learning while working and studying

ICMS Master degrees include up to 600 hours of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) industry training, but Natalie will be exempt from taking this as separate subjects as she is already working fulltime while studying.

She has been able to practically apply theoretical concepts learned in her Master of Management course in her workplace.

“The Master of Management has given me practical skills that I am able to apply from the classroom straight into my work.  All the lecturers are professional and passionate about helping us grow our knowledge during class,” Natalie said.

“I have recently been able to do an assessment based on what I am doing at work, and use the research and knowledge in an upcoming project. This is fantastic because all the assessments in the course are based on real life examples to give us practical learning and real life application from the theories we learn in class.”

Looking ahead

Natalie graduates in 2024 and is looking forward to what the future holds with a postgraduate degree on her CV.

“I hope to still be here at ICMS going forward, taking on more senior roles and continuing to contribute towards the success of our students,” Natalie said.

“With my Master of Management being applicable to all industries there are many doors available for me to open. Who knows, I may even get a doctorate and work at ICMS as a lecturer, completing the full circle and paying it forward to the next generation of students.”

For more information on the ICMS Master of Management, click here.

To connect with Natalie Watt, click here.