David Thomson Scholarship RMIT: Awarded to Emily West

For Emily West, the way a business works has always piqued her interest.

It all started at her family’s café in Lucknow, Victoria. Where most kids would see business admin as a chore, she would look forward to helping with the day sheets and invoices – feeling a great sense of satisfaction when everything balanced perfectly. So, pursuing a career in accounting simply made sense.

Following in her family’s footsteps

She was influenced by the people around her too – her parents and her aunt (a chartered accountant). Her involvement with the family business and having an aunt with real-world experience gave her an in-depth perspective on what a career in accounting could be – it’s more than just the numbers, it’s problem solving, planning and the logical decisions that helps to keep a business running smoothly.

With its future-focused program, she was drawn to study accounting at RMIT. After experiencing all the manual paperwork processes at her family café, Emily is passionate about how technology and automation can change the game for businesses. She’s keen to learn how to use digital tools to make those processes faster and more insightful for business owners so they can focus on the decisions that help grow their business rather than just managing files.

From challenging life experience to critical work experience

She has more first-hand experience with making business decisions than most students. After her mother was diagnosed with cancer, Emily stepped up to manage more café responsibilities while her mother navigated recovery – as well as balancing her school studies. While this time was challenging, it helped Emily to become more independent, and she experienced the reality of running a business under pressure. This highlighted the importance of financial organisation, future planning and strong decision making in helping a business to succeed. All skills she hopes to hone through her studies at RMIT.

Studying at RMIT promised a range of learning opportunities, but living in a regional area can make attending university a challenge. Emily knew she would have to relocate to the city for her studies.

Support to build a bright future

Relocating can be intimidating, but with the help of the David Thomson scholarship from Pitcher Partners, the process became less scary, and more exciting for her. As well as easing the moving stress, the scholarship will help relieve some of the cost-of-living pressures, allowing Emily to spend more time focussing on her studies, and less time juggling work to make ends meet. Beyond the financial support, the scholarship will support Emily to grow both academically and professionally and better prepare for her future career.

While business accounting is a passion of hers, Emily hasn’t set her career path in stone just yet. She is open to seeing where her interests may develop and is eager to build a well-rounded skillset that sets her up for professional success.

As well as the technical skills she will gain through study, Emily is excited about the chance to connect with new people, both professionally and socially. Outside of study, she can be found in the gym or spending time with her family and friends because they have always supported her and encouraged her to work hard but also to have fun and make the most of what life has to offer.

With the support of this scholarship, I am looking forward to being able to develop and build my skills in this industry. This scholarship will allow me to focus on my studies and confidently pursue my goal of becoming a Chartered Accountant. I am excited to learn from other accounting professionals to understand the full range of possible career pathways I can explore.

Emily West, David Thomson Scholarship recipient

About the David Thomson Scholarship

Pitcher Partners Melbourne established the scholarship in memory of valued colleague, partner and friend David Thomson. David grew up in Geelong, studied accounting at RMIT, and joined Pitcher Partners as a founding staff member, going on to serve as a partner for nearly 30 years. He played a significant role in shaping the firm into the success it is today, and his energy, spirit, and wise counsel touched countless lives throughout his career. This scholarship is to support a promising student to follow in David’s footsteps and reflects his lifelong commitment to nurturing talent and supporting others in achieving their potential – values that remain at the very heart of Pitcher Partners today.