My Business Consulting Practicum Experience: Daisy Liu

Master of Commerce (Extension) student, Daisy Liu shares her experience of Business Consulting Practicum unit BWIL6300.

What is the Business Consulting Practicum, and why did you decide to get involved?

The Business Consulting Practicum is a consulting project-based course that enables you to connect with a real-life client and apply the knowledge you learned from the course to the client’s business project. You will be working on the project from the start of the semester, and all the lecture knowledge is consistent with your final proposal. It is a course that enables you to apply your knowledge from lectures to practice directly. The nature of allowing students to get involved in real-life business projects and being able to closely connect with industry clients seemed very practical and attractive to me. 

What were the highlights?

During the semester, we regularly met with our client, which helped us gain more insights into the project and we also received valuable feedback about our initial proposal, which allowed us to refine our final proposal. A major highlight has got to be the recognition we received from our client after the final pitch at the end of the semester. There was also a networking event after our pitch and it really was an excellent opportunity for students to communicate and connect with industry representatives and other students in the course.  

What career skills do you think you developed through the program?

There is no doubt that my communication skills and leadership skills improved after this project-based course. This course required more communication and collaboration among team members than any other course I've taken. Project teamwork started from the second tutorial and it required a large amount of brainstorming under the design thinking protocol. Throughout the semester, I steadily learned how to deal with idea-conflict situations and how to better present different ideas successfully. Additionally, the intensive project timeframe required me to be well-organised in order to meet all the project deadlines and deliver a comprehensive proposal as the team leader. 

What would you say to future students considering applying for the Business Consulting Practicum?

Be brave, speak up, and seek help from the teaching team when needed. 

Learn more about the Business Consulting Practicum.

My Business Consulting Practicum Experience: Jade Zhuang

Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies student Jade Zhuang shares her experience of the Business Consulting Practicum (BWIL1300) unit. 

Jade Zhuang

Business Consulting Practicum in a nutshell 

 

Business Consulting Practicum is an elective unit offered by the WIL Hub to strengthen students’ consulting skills, allowing you to apply the knowledge gained from your degree to a real-life business project. 

 

In this unit, you are put into a small group to work on a consulting-type project for an industry partner. It is an entirely project-focused unit as you go through the process of a consulting project from brief to final presentation. 

 

Connecting with industry

 

Meeting our industry partners on campus was quite an amazing experience. In week 2, we had a briefing and Q&A session with the client, Fifth Frame. This briefing session helped me understand the difference between boutique firms and big four companies and the Q&A session provided me with insights about the recruitment challenge faced by boutique firms.

 

In week 7, our group presented our initial proposal to four members of Fifth Frame, separately gaining valuable feedback from different perspectives. In week 13, the co-founder of Fifth Frame joined our class to give feedback on our proposals and answered questions about a career in consulting. Afterwards I connected with Fifth Frame members on LinkedIn and introduced myself.

 

Highlights of the unit

 

I gained more opportunities to interact closely with academics in this unit than in any other unit. Working with clients also enabled us to connect with industry professionals and gain valuable insights into our future career. Most importantly, I met many like-minded students, making great memories and friendships. 

Overcoming challenges

The biggest challenge our team faced was how to differentiate our proposal and ultimately bring value to the table.  

 

We initially recommended Fifth Frame should hold a panel discussion at the university to attract and recruit talented international students. Our unit coordinator Dr Steven Hitchcock advised us to think over the benefits boutique firms can provide to students and design our event based around this.

 

Guided by Dr Hitchcock, we conducted persona mapping around the problem statement, recognising international talents’ dilemma in the job market. We were taught to calculate the costs of hiring international talents and benefits of expanding market share by involving them.

Learn more about the Business Consulting Practicum unit.

My Business Practicum experience: Claudia Wan

Master of Commerce student Claudia Wan shares her experience of the Business Practicum unit BUSS6104.

Claudia Wan

How did you get involved in the Business Practicum?

My interest in this started very early on, from when I first applied for my Master of Commerce degree. My plan was to spend the first three semesters learning about the specifics of finance and business analysis, and in the final semester, I wanted to apply what I had learned in the form of a practical project. The Business Practicum unit was the perfect fit.

What were the highlights of this program?

There were four key highlights of the program for me:

1. It took us through the entire consulting process and gave us real-world experience through interactive exercises in the classroom and projects with industry partners.
2. It is not just a project, but also a life-changing experience. The course began with me creating a self-reflection report, focusing on what type of team member I am and what areas I need to improve and extend myself in. This allowed me to learn much more about myself and reflect on how I collaborate with other people. I believe this reflection will help me not only in my professional life but in my personal life too. 
3. Receiving detailed, comprehensive feedback. The course entails submitting two personal reflection reports, one at the beginning of the project and one at the end. After submitting the first report, we received very thorough feedback from Gaia, the course coordinator, which identified areas of improvement, and were very helpful in writing my second report.
4. Making strong connections with my professor and teammates. You will work in the same team of 4-5 people on a consulting project for a client. During this time, your professor is seen more like a project manager and your teammates like your colleagues, all working together to support you through the project. In this course, you will get an early taste of how to build relationships in the workplace, and you will also build deep connections with your teammates and professors over the course of the unit.

What career skills do you think you developed through the program?

The career skills I believe I developed through the program include:

• Time management skills: this project was carried out whilst taking an additional three units thus, we needed to communicate within our own group to manage the progress of the whole project, which greatly exercised our time management skills.

• Teamwork skills: personality tests were given at the beginning of the course to identify what kind of team member we were, which allowed us to understand our own personalities and those of our teammates. The four-month-long project also helped us to develop our team communication and collaboration skills.

• Self-reflection skills: at the beginning of the course, we were introduced to the scientific method of self-reflection and some of the tools available, such as the 5R principles, and were asked to complete two self-reflection reports. I felt that using the 5R principles enabled me to push myself more deeply to get to the root of the problem and make improvements.

• Problem-solving skills: consulting, broadly speaking, is helping clients solve their problems. The whole course was a good introduction to the consulting tools that could be used to solve a problem.

What would you say to future students considering applying for the Business Practicum?

• Be bold.

• Be creative.

• Be talkative. 

Learn more about the Business Practicum unit.

My Business Practicum Experience: Omead Musa

Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies student Omead Musa shares his experience of the Business Practicum (BUSS1321/BUSS6104).

Omead Musa

Business Practicum at first glance

BUSS1321: Business Practicum is a unique experience for undergraduate students. It is an elective anyone can pick up which gives you the opportunity to collaborate on real-world problems with fellow students. For me personally, the unit offered the perfect mix of learning and application that I needed to develop the skillset a well-rounded graduate needs.

Collaborating with innovative local businesses

Our sponsor organisation and key stakeholder was Young Henrys, a well-known innovative craft brewery that was determined to have a positive impact not just on our local community but the entire globe. While we were constrained to online collaboration exclusively due to COVID restrictions, the passion of Young Henry's showed through all our interactions and inspired us to really believe in our problem solving and solutions.

Highlights of the project

The main highlight of this project was the people involved. From the great coordinator and mentor, Dr Steven Hitchcock, to my excellent team members and class members; the involvement we all had was unlike most other university units.

Another great moment in the unit was a collaboration session we had with undergraduates from the science faculty. It was very refreshing to work together with students who had different backgrounds and perspectives.

Overcoming key challenges

One of the biggest challenges we faced in this unit was the technical nature of the project. The scientific knowledge required to develop a cohesive solution was broad, stretching from the production process of producing beer to the chemical reactions that occur within the gut biome of livestock. 

Our team overcame this hurdle by developing a detailed research plan which we delegated over a 3 week period. We also conducted extensive stakeholder interviews with industry organisations such as the Independent Brewers Association, which helped us better understand how science and business aspects fit together.

Transforming this information into a detailed dataset and creating a financial model using Excel was a critical part of our final recommendations.

Career skill development

There were two key career skills that I feel progressed most over the course of this unit. The first is project management, which was vital given the often hands-off approach coordinators take with these projects. While we were provided guidance, ultimately it was up to us to ensure we finished everything on time and to a sufficient quality over the course of the entire semester.

The second key career skill I developed was my presentation expertise, more specifically the ability to present to different audiences. We knew it was really important to demonstrate our passion and belief in the project to really convince Young Henry's, and it took a lot of practise to switch up my usual presentation style, which was accustomed to presenting to university staff and mock business/executive audiences.

Advice to future Business Practicum students

The best advice I can give to students who are enrolling in this project is to get involved as much as you can. Engage with your stakeholders, try some new management strategies, do that extra bit of research. The more you apply yourself to the project, the better the outcomes in terms of your own skills development and also your final report and presentation.

And also remember to have fun. This really was one of the most enjoyable units I undertook in all of my four years at the University of Sydney. You don't want to miss it!

Enrol for the Business Practicum for Semester 1 now.

My Business Practicum experience: Sara Mehrzadi

Master of Commerce student Sara Mehrzadi shares her experience on the Business Practicum (BUSS1321/BUSS6104).

The Business Practicum (BUSS6104) is an elective unit offered by the Work Integrated Learning Hub (WIL Hub), within the Master of Commerce degree. It enables students to apply theoretical knowledge to solve a real-life challenge articulated by a sponsor company.

In this project we had the chance to work as a team with the Trade Commission of the French Embassy - Business France, an organisation responsible for accommodating and accelerating French SMEs international expansion and export to other countries. The project specifically addressed the renewable energy market in Australia, with 20 students working in online and offline project groups to research and analyse a challenge. We were required to identify and evaluate various opportunities across the market to provide the best solution to our client, Business France.

Sara Mehrzadi

How has the Business Practicum helped you?

The Business Practicum has enabled me to apply my theoretical knowledge in different areas, gain valuable experience in client interaction, be familiar with consulting roles and practices, extend my professional network in Australia, up-skill myself in presentation and self-reflection skills, and more importantly, not be afraid of ambiguity, uncertainty and complexity in solving problems. 

 

Moreover, this project helped me improve and gain experience in many critical areas identified as the most wanted skills in graduate roles. These qualities include different areas such as complex problem solving, critical thinking and creativity.

What was the best part about your experience?

The best part about this experience was the opportunity to actively engage with clients and receive ongoing constructive feedback on your progress. In this process, you will learn how to incorporate the client's perspective and ideas in different project stages and how to hold a client centric perspective. The client meetings were the highlight of our workshops, which helped me gain valuable experiences and kept the process exciting throughout the semester.

What advice would you give future students?

The deeper you dive, the more you will learn. There is nothing to stop you to go further in this project but time, so be as thorough as you can. This is the opportunity to go beyond the university's regular learning opportunities as this project can teach you many valuable skills that enable you to address VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) issues in your future/current roles. 

During this project, I was required to shift away from my comfort zone and face the project's uncertainties. This has positively affected me in dealing with real-life business issues and taking a step further from my ambiguity avoidance. So don’t be afraid, you might experience different emotions throughout the project but eventually everything will come together and you will be proud of yourself.

Would you recommend enrolling in this program?

If you are unsure or considering consulting roles as one of your career paths options, then this is the course for you. But remember, you need to be ready to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, as this course is very much of a hands-on project which requires your involvement. 

Also, I recommend taking this course in your final semester so you will have the opportunity to apply all of your knowledge to a real-life case and gain valuable experience for your future roles.

Learn more about the Business Practicum.

My Business Practicum experience: Troy Affolter

Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies student Troy Affolter shares his experience on the Business Practicum (BUSS1321/BUSS6104). Enrolments for the Business Practicum are currently open in Sydney Student.

What is the Business Practicum and why did you decide to get involved?

The Business Practicum is an elective unit offered by the University of Sydney Business School’s Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Hub. I thought of the unit as a consulting project where you receive university credit and have the opportunity to work and interact with a real client on real problems that they are facing. The unit can be taken during either semester or in the intensive July session which is when I took it. The reason I chose to do this unit stemmed from a university club’s intern speaker panel which I attended. One of the speakers encouraged all attendees to find something that will differentiate them at the end of this pandemic, as he predicted a common interview question would be “What did you do during lockdown?” From this I chose to enrol in this unit, and it has been one of the most enjoyable subjects I have taken at University. 

Troy Affolter, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies

Where did you work?

For this unit we engaged with the Business School themselves on an issue relating to student engagement. My group focused solely on the first year undergraduate mentoring program and how it can be run more efficiently with more positive outcomes and greater student engagement.  

How did the Business Practicum help your career?

The Business Practicum allowed me to engage in real life problem-solving with a client. The unit also allowed me to expand my network with other students and academics. One connection that arose was with the lecturer, who would later be another lecturer of mine in the Self-Sourced Placement Program, also run by the Business School’s WIL Hub.

What was the best part of your experience?

The best part of the Business Practicum was being chosen as one of five groups to present directly to the Business School leadership team. From this selection, my group presented over Zoom to a panel of Business School leaders about our solution with a live run of the program that we designed. The presentation went successfully and we are currently working directly with the Business School team on the upcoming Semester 1 2021 mentoring program. 

What was the biggest challenge and what did you learn from it?

The biggest challenge that my group and I experienced was breaking down the multi-faceted problem and applying it to relevant frameworks as part of the course requirements. Through this we were required to go through the process of design thinking which we did through liaising with course staff, interviewing peers and interacting with the clients to see what their actual goals and needs were. From this I learned and enhanced the skills of communication, teamwork, problem solving and creative thinking.

What advice would you give other students? 

My one piece of advice for students considering undertaking the Business Practicum is to just go for it. If you have ever wanted to work in the corporate world, especially roles that involve a lot of client interaction such as Investment Banking or Consulting, the Business Practicum unit would act as a taster into what it is actually like engaging with problem statements and working to a common solution alongside the client, with the added benefit of university academics to guide and provide help when needed. 

My Business Practicum experience: Cindy Zhang

Master of Commerce student Cindy Zhang shares her experience on the Business Practicum (BUSS1321/BUSS6104).

What was your Business Practicum experience like?

I undertook the Business Practicum as a unit of study in the Master of Commerce degree. Like other units of study, it is a 13-week experience. However, the Business Practicum is quite practical, based on the real business world.

In the first few weeks, the lecturer gave an introduction to the company we will work with. The manager from the host company also came to our class to provide us with further details and Q&A sessions.

After that, we were divided into several consulting teams to do team projects in every workshop. Throughout the semester, we did research about the company, gathered information, discussed with team members to generate innovative ideas, and asked for clarification from our client and lecturer. At the end of the semester, we were required to submit a professional report and deliver our findings to the panel at the host company.

Cindy Zhang

Where did you work and what did you do?

The project was about addressing some real issues of learning and development (L&D) function in ASG Group. The project was sponsored by ASG Group, an award-winning IT business solutions provider offering a complete digital transformation service to clients.

My role was to work as a member of the consulting team to help ASG with L&D updates, such as designing some local activities to maintain employee retention rate and boost employee morale.

In the ASG offices

What was the biggest challenge?

I think the biggest challenge was to present our ideas in front of the panel at ASG Group Sydney office. The panel consisted of 8 managers from multiple departments. The meeting was quite formal, everyone in the meeting room was listening to our presentation carefully. Following our presentation was a Q&A session. Managers asked us several questions, some of which were out of scope of what I had previously thought about. They also gave us some feedback, such as areas of improvement and good practices.

This meeting was one of the most formal meetings I have had in my life, so I felt quite nervous at the beginning. However, it taught me how to present professionally to convey my ideas and how to behave in front of a lot of people, which I think will be really helpful for my future job-seeking process. It also offered me an invaluable opportunity to network with professionals in the industry.

How did the Business Practicum help your career?

The Business Practicum helped me to apply knowledge I learned in class to real business case analysis. The unit of study coordinator encouraged us to think out of the scope and try to discover connections between our majors and HR practice. I feel grateful that this program has enhanced my problem-solving skills and business report writing capability.

One personal achievement is that I successfully got an HR internship opportunity because of this practicum. When I was being interviewed, I talked about my experience in the Business Practicum, which was quite attractive to the interviewer. I have never thought about doing HR jobs before this program, so it has really opened a new door to my future career paths.


Learn more about the Business Practicum here.