Congratulations, Graeme, on becoming a tutor at U3AM. Please tell us a bit about yourself and your professional background.

I retired in 2011, after enjoying a varied 46-year career in communications engineering, project management and training, initially within the Australian Defence Force and then civil industry. During my working life I lived and worked overseas in Vietnam, England and France; bought and sold several properties; ran my own consulting business and self-managed super fund; and worked towards ensuring my financial security in retirement.

What motivated you to become a tutor?

Over the past 20 years, the world of finance has become increasingly complex. Consumers today are expected to make financial decisions with little to no understanding or training in financial management. The commercial world is becoming ever more complex to the point where people find it difficult to keep track of how much money they are spending on goods and services, sometimes on things they may not actually want or need. The increase in financial scams is a worrying trend.

When I saw your request for a tutor to run a financial management course, I was motivated to contact U3A Manningham to see if what I had to offer was relevant to the members.

Could you briefly outline your course, and what would be in it that would be relevant to our members at this stage of their lives?

I must stress that I am not qualified to offer financial counselling nor financial planning advice. My aim is to give my audience the knowledge and skills about finance, to become more financially literate, so that they are better informed when making financial decisions that affect them and their families.

Topics that will be covered include:

• goal setting (how to set and achieve short-term and long-term goals)
• financial language and terminology
• how to analyse personal finances and develop a budget
• understanding the benefits and pitfalls of debt and credit
• how to identify and avoid being caught by a financial scam
• basic negotiation skills (tips on how to negotiate a better deal where the opportunity arises).

Since U3A members are (generally) in retirement, the course will be structured for that demographic.

I will use a variety of instructional techniques to impart information through lecture/tutorial presentations and the use of visual aids. I will also provide examples that relate to the audience and stimulate discussion and the sharing of ideas and experiences.

I will provide a variety of handouts and templates to assist the participants put what they have learnt into practice.

What would you expect participants in your class to achieve as they progress through your course?

I would expect them to achieve a better understanding of the world of finance and become progressively more confident in their ability to make sound and informed financial decisions.

Will you make the course available the year after? Will it continue from where you left off the year before, or can members that are new to the class join in?

I expect that I will complete the entire course within the academic year and after making any necessary changes, offer the same course in subsequent years.

Given the modular nature of the course, new participants can join the course at any time should vacancies arise.

Date and time

Graeme’s course will be held over 4 terms in 2026 from 9:00 to 10:20 am on Mondays in Room 13 at The Pines Learning and Activity Centre.

Shirley Fung
New Course Coordinator