'I was always striving to do my best and get the most out of the course. I am very honoured to receive these awards as recognition for my hard work. They will be permanent reminders of a very challenging and rewarding period of my life,' Mr McAvoy said.

He is director of finance and operations in a fund management firm and has always worked in finance. Mr McAvoy said the course provided him with a broader skill base which was transferable between industries.

'It's given me the frameworks and concepts for looking at any business environment or business situation and being able to understand and analyse it, and ultimately add valuable input.'

This was especially important as he intended to relocate to Australia and change his career path, he said, adding that the programme was highly relevant to today's business environment.