My Self-Sourced Placement Program Experience: Paris Vergan

Bachelor of Commerce student Paris Vergan shares her experience on the Self-Sourced Placement Program (BUSS2200/BUSS6514).

What is the Self-Sourced Placement Program?

The Self-Sourced Placement Program is one of the University of Sydney Business School’s work-integrated learning (WIL) programs. This program is fantastic for individuals who have already sourced internships and want to gain academic credit and reflective skills. It allows you to choose your own pathway to employment by deciding upon a role you know you will enjoy, in a company which values align with your own.

Paris Vergan

How did you source your placement?

I attended a corporate partners networking event hosted by the Business School and sat next to who became my supervisor! By engaging with him about my passions for Marketing and Commercial Law, he offered me an opportunity to interview for a work placement. After following up, I got the job!

Applying for the program was super easy and consisted of submitting an expression of interest to the WIL hub. After reviewing and confirming my application, University staff were extremely supportive and offered one on one consultations every couple of weeks to check up on my experience and help discuss any reflective tasks.

Overall, I am really fortunate I underwent the placement as it allowed me to experience the workforce, expand my professional network, develop practical skills and enhance my reflective abilities.

Where did you work and what did you do?

I underwent my placement at the French Embassy Trade Commission, working in their commercial division ‘Business France’ as a Trade Advisor. The role entailed assisting the growth of French businesses in Australia by performing market research studies on specific industries and identifying areas of opportunity, as well as facilitating partnerships between French Businesses and Australian companies.

I worked on a number of large-scale projects, such as organising industry conferences, business to business round table workshops and international webinars. This allowed me to gain specific industry knowledge, develop interpersonal skills by building rapport with our clients and overall achieve greater confidence in my professional abilities.

What was the biggest challenge?

One of the largest challenges my team and I faced was the shift from in-person collaboration to virtual teams due to COVID-19. This reactive change meant my colleagues and I had to adopt new online systems to communicate effectively and set up productive workspaces at home to adapt to the external circumstances. The experience taught me lot including how important it is to develop clear lines of communication, how to become flexible and open to new ways of achieving tasks and that setting team goals is really helpful to stay motivated. Overall, I believe this learning opportunity was quite unique and equipped me with great skills to use in future teams which may collaborate virtually.

How did the Self-Sourced Placement Program help your career?

The placement has offered me a wide array of new experiences, such as liaising with international clients, growing accustomed to cultural challenges, organising large scale events and developing interpersonal relationships with long-term partners. It has been a highly rewarding experience as I have been able to develop skills in cultural competence, effective relationship management and timely communication. Most importantly, the placement helped me gain a perspective of what it is like to engage in a professional work environment, make friends who happen to be co-workers and gain a new social circle.

The best thing about taking on a local placement is the proud feeling of accomplishment when your colleagues acknowledge your work, as well as the fun after-work social gatherings. I would highly recommend the Self-Sourced Placement Program as it will allow you engage with a professional work environment, network with like-minded people and develop practical skills for future employment.

Students can now enrol in the Self-Sourced Placement Program for Semester 2, 2020 via Sydney Student. Learn more about the Self-Sourced Placement Program here.