When Callum Maxwell enrolled at Albany Senior High School (ASHS) in 2021, he already knew where he wanted to go. Just a few years later, his clear vision and determination are taking him from Auckland to the world.

Chasing Ambitions Across the Tasman

Now in his third year of a Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Auckland, Callum is majoring in Finance and Accounting with Honours in Finance, and will graduate in November 2026. Alongside his studies, he works part time as an Accounting and Business Consulting Intern at Biz Solutions, a Chartered Accounting firm in Parnell with over 3,600 clients.

Earlier this year, Callum also stepped into the role of Finance Officer for SavY New Zealand, delivering financial literacy workshops for Year 7 to 13 students in Auckland and Wellington. His role also includes raising funds from sponsors, budgeting, overseeing the business accounts, and reporting to the Board.

Callum’s ambition and networking skills have opened doors beyond New Zealand, too. After receiving internship offers from PwC Auckland, KPMG Auckland, and Biz Solutions, he flew to Sydney in May to interview for a role in KPMG’s Audit and Assurance team. “I’ve now signed the contract and will be moving over there in November,” he says. “This provides an exciting opportunity to apply the skills that I have developed throughout my time at ASHS and The University of Auckland.”

Callum (front row, fourth from left) with the rest of the Biz Solutions Staff.

 

Real-World Readiness Starts at School

Looking back, Callum says ASHS shaped his independence and drive. “I learned that your success  is dependent on your willingness to learn and apply yourself. It is your own responsibility to determine your future, and the results you get are directly correlated to the effort you put in,” he says. “This is even more apparent at University, and ASHS therefore prepared me well.”

Being able to tailor his learning made a big difference: “From the beginning of my time at ASHS I was able to focus on the subjects that I wanted to pursue, instead of having to take any subjects that I wouldn’t need in future,” he explains. “I studied accounting, economics, business, mathematics, statistics, and English. These were all subjects that I have found very beneficial to the early stages of my degree at The University of Auckland.”

Teachers Who Make a Difference

Working closely with dedicated teachers and one-on-one support were standout parts of Callum’s time at ASHS. He credits key mentors for inspiring him to pursue accounting: “Both my first and second year Accounting teachers, Jitesh and Manish. Although I didn’t initially plan to study Accounting at University, I thoroughly enjoyed their classes and mentorship at ASHS, which ultimately led me to choose to major in Accounting alongside Finance at University.”

“Simon also made a significant impact on me with the enthusiasm that he brought to teaching my Level 3 Business and Economics classes.”

Skills Beyond the Classroom

Impact Projects were another chance to build real-world skills. Callum’s project, Networking for Success, helped him develop industry connections early. “This instilled in me the importance of networking to build industry connections, which could open doors for future career opportunities,” he says. “These networking skills played a key role in securing my internship offers at KPMG and PwC.”

A Head Start on Success

ASHS’s flexible pathways helped Callum fast-track his plans: “Instead of starting at NCEA Level 1, ASHS allowed me to go straight into NCEA Level 2 as a Year 11 student, and I then completed NCEA Level 3 as a Year 12, and started University at Year 13. This is important to note, as few other schools provide this opportunity to their students and it allowed me to get a head start on my higher education.”

From preparing to audit major companies in Sydney to boosting financial literacy back home, Callum Maxwell’s story shows what’s possible when ambition, effort and opportunity meet – something ASHS proudly supports every step of the way.

 

Callum (second from left) with the SavY Eexecutive Team.