A story of achievement – student from Botswana (Issue 8, 2012)
Oarabile Omaru first commenced his software engineering course (with honours) at La Trobe University in 2005. Originally coming from Botswana, Oarabile received a scholarship by a mining company in his home country to address software systems engineering needs present at the time.
Before arriving in Australia, Oarabile was mostly looking forward to the experience of a new and different country.
‘There were challenges [with settling in] but I made friends and took advantage of some of the La Trobe International initiatives at the time. La Trobe International organised field trips, barbeques in the Agora and movies nights – to mention a few,’ says Oarabile.
Oarabile was 22 when he arrived in Australia, so he had the time and curiosity to travel the country and experience and learn new things.
‘By the time I finished my studies in 2008, I had been to various parts of Australia including Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, the Gold Coast and Tasmania, and had travelled widely across Victoria.’
One of Oarabile’s favourite experiences was the 2008 AFL Grand Final, which he watched live at Federation Square in Melbourne’s CBD.
‘The atmosphere around Federation Square was exciting; I was going to be leaving Australia for good in three months and I thought it was an ideal time to live a little. It turned out to be an excellent afternoon.’
There have been many highlights for Oarabile during his time at La Trobe. One of the most memorable was when he read the charge at the 2007 La Trobe Golden Key inauguration ceremony. Oarabile was also on the Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering Dean’s honour list in 2006. He was also the Environmental Director for the La Trobe Young Achievement Australia Company in 2007.
‘This was probably one of the most enriching experiences as far as my participation in extracurricular activities goes. We were a good company with dedicated mentors and our environmental conservation credentials were solid,’ says Oarabile of the experience.
Oarabile has no doubts that studying at La Trobe has advanced his professional profile.
‘Australia is renowned as one of the leading educational powerhouses in the world. Having a degree from one of the top tier universities in Australia is obviously a bonus in that sense.
‘I hope the professional experiences I have acquired as a student and through my engagement in different activities at La Trobe will provide a sustainable competitive edge to my professional standing,’ says Oarabile.
Oarabile hopes that in his future he is still doing something he enjoys and maintains a passion for what he does. His plan is to one day give back to his community in Botswana.
If you're interested in software engineering, find out more about La Trobe's Bachelor of Computer Systems Engineering.
