Securing an internship through the Business Dalyell Scholars Program

Bachelor of Commerce student Shenoli Perera is the winner of the Semester 1, 2020 Dalyell x Salesforce x Deloitte Challenge, which required students to respond to a real-world business problem in the style of a TikTok video: "How can selected Salesforce technologies be used by Northern Trail Outfitters to ensure business continuity during the global coronavirus health crisis?"

See what Shenoli has to say about the challenge, the Business Dalyell Program, and the opportunities that helped secure her an internship with Mav3rik.

Shenoli Perera

What are the key takeaways from the Dalyell x Salesforce x Deloitte challenge?

The Dalyell x Salesforce x Deloitte challenge helped me gain invaluable experience. From getting to know about the Salesforce technologies, to the month long mentoring from our Dalyell lecturers - Dr Sandra Seno-Alday, Carlos Vazquez and Praveena Chandra - to developing critical thinking skills in providing a business solution under the COVID-19 environment, and finally getting the opportunity to network with industry partners from Salesforce and Deloitte.

 

What are a few of the challenges that you faced?

The submission of the project took place in the form of a TikTok video. As someone with no prior background, it was somewhat challenging. Yet, our Dalyell lecturers provided us with guidance which helped me adjust to the new platform within a month’s time.

Another major challenge was time management. Especially as a full-time university student, managing time across various units of study and other projects was a challenge. However, scheduling and prioritising time across activities helped me to make the best of this challenge.

How do you think the Dalyell program helped in terms of your career?

There are no words to describe how privileged I feel to be a part of the Dalyell community. Apart from networking with industry partners and developing my skills and knowledge, I was fortunate to secure an internship through this competition. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my mentor, a senior employee at Salesforce, who referred me to Mav3rik, a specialist Salesforce platform solutions provider.

As a student aspiring to be a Business Analyst, I have always had the goal of gaining industry experience. Being an international student, it was challenging to apply for internships. After numerous rejections due to residency requirements I was discouraged, doubting that I would ever gain industry experience while I am a student. However, this competition was truly a blessing that helped me achieve one of my biggest goals. I am extremely grateful to the Dalyell team. Without you, I would not have accomplished this.

 

Do you have any advice for current Dalyell students?

My main advice for current Dalyell students is to broaden your skills and knowledge by taking part in various activities and the opportunities the university readily offers you. The Dalyell community is the best place to start. The friendly Dalyell lecturers would certainly guide you through, from tailored mentoring sessions to the professional skills workshops and real-world projects, creating an excellent environment to begin. Time spent here as a student is a worthwhile investment in your future.

Life as a student is not only about getting good grades, it is also about developing valuable skills such as disciplinary expertise, critical thinking skills, innovation skills, communication skills, interdisciplinary effectiveness, and most importantly, building your network. These are the stepping stones to success.

“Believe in your dreams, no matter how impossible they seem.” – Walt Disney

Learn more about the Business Dalyell Scholars Program here.

Adventures in India

This past July I have had the opportunity to work with the social enterprise, Pollinate Energy, through the Business School's Community Placement Program. Pollinate Energy aims to improve the lives of India’s Urban poor. Every year, thousands of Indians are migrating from their rural villages to these urban slums. These people are seeking employment and these harsh living conditions, often without electricity, act as a gateway to the city. Pollinate Energy helps these people by employing locals to sell them solar lights and fuel efficient cookstoves.

I was placed in Hyderabad, the first city for Pollinate to expand their working model to in Bangalore. The program ran for four weeks where we worked on different aspects of the organisation in a group made up of ten kiwis and aussies, and six local Indians. The international students were all living together in an apartment called the ‘Hive’ which doubled as our work space.

We were split into three different working groups, each with a mix of international and Indian students. I was lucky enough to be in the team that was coaching the new ‘Pollinators’ – local’s who want to help, and are looking for a job. By targeting this demographic, those in the slum communities are more likely to relate and can more easily communicate with the Pollinators. At the same time it’s giving someone a job, skills and an international network which is quite rare for these people in a place like Hyderabad!

My training partner was Shanti – she might look cute but she was tough coach. She also acted as a translator between Vinay (our Pollinator) and I, translating both Telagu (the local language) and body language. I learnt that the Indian head wobble meant anything along the lines of yes, no, maybe, I’m listening to you but hurry up and finish and I’m telling you yes but I’m not going to hold my promise – something I found quite frustrating not understanding!

In the mornings we three would get together and discuss the what had gone well the day before, and where there was room for improvement in Vinays sales techniques. A big challenge we faced was developing trust between us, and those we were trying to help, as they had never had any kind of interaction with Pollinate before. In the afternoons we would head out to a selection of his designated slum communities, which were randomly scattered amongst the high rise buildings in the city or near new construction sites. The contrast was incredible.

The approach to business is completely different in India and it definitely took awhile to adjust. For example, what’s considered rude and what isn’t. Apparently it isn’t considered rude to answer your phone mid-way through a sale of a product? Calling your employer the day you are heading to your village for a week long festival is not uncommon. And as for the stretchable nature of ‘Indian Standard Time’ the difference between 5 minutes, three hours, two days late or a day early to an interview is minimal – oh and your welcome to bring a mate. All these things become less surprising when you start operating in the same environment.

People in the communities were extremely welcoming, pulling out chairs for us to sit on and offering us food. They take such pride in their huts, it’s difficult to not feel guilty for being treated so well, when the average wage is less than $2 a day, but it actually means more to them if you accept their offers. This cute woman even did Henna for me! She saw me watching her pluck leaves from the tree and grinding them into a paste for her daughters, so invited me over to have it done.

I would highly recommend this program to anyone considering a career path in renewable energy engineering, an interest in social enterprise, or even just for personal development. The $2,000 Pollinate Energy Community Placement Scholarship from the University of Sydney was a huge help in getting me to India. It was such a challenging but rewarding experience where I directly saw the impact Pollinate is making. Although it was sad saying good bye to the Pollinators we still keep in touch on whatsapp, see who has sold the most lights and make sure the ‘Hive’ is still buzzing!

Esther McArthur
Current student at the University of Sydney

Applications are now open for Pollinate Energy's fellowship programs in December and February. Grow your skills as a leader, an innovator and a social change-maker while bringing renewable energy solutions to urban poor communities in India. Hurry – applications close 4 September! Learn more: http://bit.ly/1I6Qyxa

Think Big Data

In Semester 1, Woolworths teamed up with the Discipline of Business Analytics at the Business School to run a competition using real time data about the sales of some of their most popular product lines. At the end of the six week challenge, top students were giving the opportunity to interview for an internship with Woolworths. John Brann shares his experience on our blog this week.

The unique experience provided by the Big Data Competition was incomparable to anything I had previously experienced. From the beginning, there were a multitude of challenges, including ensuring that our group was on the same wavelength, as well as the simultaneous test of evaluating which techniques, of which we had learnt, would be most beneficial in gaining the best results. Thankfully, my group got along extremely well and we decided to split the workload and allow time for confirmation of our respective results to increase our chances of working out the correct predictions for the varying products.

Once our group was identified as one of the top groups, the next challenge of preparing for interviews with Woolworths arose. Fortunately, the Business School's Careers and Employability Office offered an interview workshop, which answered all the crucial aspects of how to impress and create a favourable first impression. Throughout this whole experience, I have gained valuable and unique skills that are definitely going to help me in the short term during university, as well as in the long term. Most importantly, it highlighted the clear benefits of teamwork and working as a coherent team. This will be especially important, as it will allow for more efficient and proactive group work in both an educational and workforce environment.

From a business perspective, by preparing for the interviews and researching Woolworths Limited, it exemplified how all aspects of any business boils down to the consumer. For example, I learned that when analysing the data, and ultimately it’s trends, the data analyst must recognise firstly, why the consumers behaved in a certain way, and secondly, how to change the consumers’ behaviour and perceptions to manipulate future data. Not only has this competition helped me gain many skills, but it has also supported and enhanced my business studies.

Looking back at my first semester at university, I have been most appreciative of the fact that I have already been given a wonderful opportunity to experience real world applications of business studies. This will not only add practical value to my next three and a half years, which I can use to my benefit when working on theoretical aspects, but also, it solidifies my interest in my studies and the opportunities it can manufacture.

In the long term, this competition and ultimately the internship in which I have been awarded with Woolworths will be extremely beneficial to my career goals. I will be able to work on real life situations consisting of at least a terabyte of data daily. This will be of great pragmatic value in a team environment, and will undoubtedly arm me with the skills for the future, which will fuel my potential. I am also grateful for being awarded this internship as it puts a foot in the door for future employment, which will assist my aspirations to a great extent.

John Brann
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School 

Applications for the 2015 Woolworths Limited Summer Internship Program are open now. Dare to Lead and apply today www.wowgrads.com.au.

Summer in Paris

Summer in Paris hits the city hard and swift. Our move to Cite U at the start of July coincided with the first heatwave of summer, so the air-conditioned luxury of our former hotel was sorely missed. It was a challenge to dress presentably for work in 36-degree heat, but as some coworkers showed up in shorts on these days, that was our cue to follow suit! Unfortunately the typical, century-old Haussmannian buildings that house most offices in the central districts are not equipped with modern conveniences like air-conditioning.

One of our favourite Sciences Po lectures to-date has been one on ‘The History of France through Paris landmarks’. Here we learnt how the city was first founded over 2,000 years ago in an area presently known as the Latin Quarter, the significance of the Louvre, Tuileries and Versailles as palaces, the relationship between the taxation system and socio-economic situation of its various residents, and present day renewal plans to expand beyond its borders in the ‘Le Grand Paris’ urban project.

Equally as interesting were a series of lectures on European identity issues, both past and present. Topics such as migration, security, solidarity and leadership opened our eyes to the multilayered complexities of the evolving European identity and its implications for existing and future member states.

So after all of this cultural education, some of us decided to kick off the weekend by watching a show at the Moulin Rouge. It was a spectacular performance filled with breathtaking acrobatics and the compact, big-top setting made the experience all the more intimate as we sat around dinner tables and mingled with people from all over the world. It reminded me of our lecture on identity issues and what it means to the French people, since this show clearly capitalised on its unique place in Parisian history. Photos were not allowed during the show for copyright reasons, but I can tell you there was a huge pool of water, python snakes and rollerskates!

Last weekend saw our entire class being treated to a day off work to attend a study trip to Brussels to learn about the EU Parliament. Coincidentally, Friday marked the start of the Bastille Day long weekend, so excitement levels were high as we would head off to other destinations (Amsterdam, Bruges and Aix-en-Provence) following the class trip. The EU institution buildings were quiet that day as EU officials and heads of state were scheduled to meet in Strasbourg instead - we were devastated about our missed opportunity to see Merkel, Tsipras, Hollande etc.! The parliamentarian role play game was interesting as was Brussels as a tourist destination. Thinking it would be a ‘European’ Canberra, the city surprised us with its fair share of tourist drawcards, from its official buildings, historic architecture, public parks, to a bustling town square serving up the must-try diet of Belgian fries, waffles and beer (though not all at once).

Finally, Bastille Day arrived. Being the conscientious students that we are, the morning was spent completing as much of our upcoming assessments as possible before heading to the supermarket to shop for our picnic on the Champ des Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower. We successfully secured a prime spot and spent almost 7 hours entertaining ourselves before the fireworks started at 11pm. Surprisingly, the crowds were not as severe as those during New Year’s Eve in Sydney, but perhaps it was an indication of how much larger Paris is as a city.

With just over two more weeks of the IPP left, it's time to power through all the touristy things on our to-do list!

Farah Tan
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School and participant in the International Placement Program in Paris, France 

Our adventures in Paris begin

I write this blog post on the Eurostar as it zooms to London after surviving my first week of the Paris International Placement Program (IPP). Last weekend, twenty undergrads and postgrads from the Business School descended upon Paris, some even managing to squeeze in trips to Lisbon and Barcelona enroute. Travel is an obvious perk of the program and we intended to make the most of it!

Seine River, 9:30pm

But it’s not all play without hard work. The first days were long with work placements from 9am to 5pm and after that, French language classes and European Union studies lectures at Sciences Po until 9pm. Thankfully, summer is Paris means sunset at 10:30pm, so you’d hardly notice that you’ve just survived an intellectually stimulating and physical (walking, hopping on-off the Metro) 12-hour day. After class, we could still go for a wander to take photos, have dinner at a cafe (cheese and wine, if you prefer) and pick up groceries on the way back to our hotel. Unfortunately, shopping the mid-year sales is only possible on weekends. There’s only so much you can fit into a day in Paris!

Sciences Po

The first week of working aboard was eventful. My supervisor turned out be based in Berlin, which although unexpected, is beginning to teach me skills on remote working relationships. All my colleagues are French and speak only French during lunchtimes, which is good incentive to work harder on my French!

Sciences Po Courtyard

I get to walk past the Louvre every day (not many can say this!) enroute to classes at Sciences Po which start at 6pm. French architecture is spectacular and you have to experience the scale of the buildings, boulevards and bridges in person, as photos taken on your iPhone fail to do it justice. The city is steeped in history - my office shares the same laneway as the house where Mozart spent his last days, while famous European treaties were signed merely a few blocks away from our classroom in Sciences Po.

Lourve

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the week for all of us was the visit to the Australian Embassy where we met with Ambassador Stephen Brady, who graciously hosted us at his residence and was very generous with his time. He shared his insights on the globalisation of the workforce for our generation and candidly took us through his career path and the complexities of his role in the hopes of encouraging us to consider an intellectually rewarding career in international relations. We spent over two hours at the 800m2 residence which overlooked the Tour Eiffel and admired the stunning Aboriginal and modern Australian art and interior design which was truly representative of Australian identity. A special thank you from all of us to Carson for making the meeting with Ambassador Brady possible!

Australian Embassy

Bon weekend as we venture off on our first weekend in Europe - London, Munich, Prague, Rouen and Versailles are just some of the destinations that our group will cover in the next 48 hours. Next week we will be moving from our hotel accommodation to Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris (Cité U for short) to immerse ourselves in Parisian student life. A bientot!

Farah Tan
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School and participant in the International Placement Program in Paris, France

A Light in the Dark

I arrived in Bangalore, India in the evening. A beautiful red sunset hung over the city skyline as I was driven to ‘the hive’, where our team was to live and work for the next four weeks. I was in India as part of the Business School's Community Placement Program, to partake in a month long fellowship with Pollinate Energy, a social business that enables access to sustainable technologies. Founded by a group of Australians, Pollinate Energy seeks to do social good by targeting groups of people that otherwise have no access to these technologies by making the technology affordable, and by remaining fully accountable to the customer and ensuring that the products are fulfilling their purpose.

Over 292 million people in India live without electricity. They rely on very crude technologies for their light and heat, most often kerosene lamps. These lamps are not only expensive to fuel, bad for the environment and a poor source of light, but they’re incredibly toxic. Indian families are forced to risk carbon monoxide poisoning and respiratory disease just to light their lives after dark.

Pollinate Energy has developed solutions based on solid research and community understanding. Not only is Pollinate fighting kerosene poisoning through the use of solar lamps, but by hiring Pollinators to sell and distribute the product, they’re creating employment too. They’re giving individuals in slum communities the chance to stand on their own feet and be stakeholders in their future growth.

My role was to work within a team to develop a strategy to sell a new product range of water filters, and to continue selling the solar lights to the communities around Bangalore. Unlike traditional internships, we were given a huge amount of responsibility early on, and it was up to us to steer the direction of the new product sales – a task that was daunting at times, but hugely rewarding. Our average day involved brainstorming ideas for the most effective way to sell the water filters, and then setting out into the communities in the afternoon and evenings to try out different methods to sell the products with local Indian entrepreneurs.

Perhaps one of the most confronting things about the working with Pollinate Energy was being faced with the sheer poverty in some of these communities and the obvious language barrier that existed. However, it was a joy to see that even though the people living in these communities lived in such adversity, they seemed so cheerful and happy.

I learnt a significant amount about social business in my time at Pollinate. As it doesn’t operate like a charity or a traditional business, the company has to carefully balance both the economic and social goals of the enterprise to ensure their mission and goals are met. In the case of Pollinate Energy, their goal is to reach more people by expanding their operations into nearly every major Indian city by 2020. They know they can’t do this by giving away products for free, so in order to reach more people and create a greater social impact, they sell the lights and other products to create more revenue, and therefore scale up their social impact.

It was hugely rewarding to meet our goals of selling over 50 water filters by the end of the month. When the solar lights were first presented to the communities, they took time to gain widespread adoption – and now they literally sell themselves. Hopefully we see the same result for the water filters, as a simple change in the cleanliness of drinking water could have a huge impact for the lives of the people in these communities.

Scott Ellice-Flint
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School

Life in Indonesia

Young Joo Lee is a current student at the University of Sydney Business School and recent participant in the Australian Consortium for ‘In-Country’ Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) Business Professional Practicum in Indonesia.

I have made it back to Australia after working as an intern for 6 weeks in Jakarta, and then a short trip to Korea to celebrate lunar New Year. Unfortunately, as I write this I seem to have come down with a cold. My body has finally given up on trying to adjust to the severe temperature differences in the countries that I’ve visited during last 2 months (30C in Indonesia, -5C in Korea and 30C in Australia again!). But fortunately, I can say that a cold is not the only thing that I’ve gotten from the past couple months. I can swear that the experience and impressions that I gained in Indonesia have actually changed my perspective on life.

My 6-week internship in Indonesia officially ended on 13 February, as I received my result from the ‘Bahasa Indonesia’ course (Indonesian language). Time flies, and now, as I return to university in Australia, I already miss everything in Indonesia – the fried rice from the street food market right next to my accommodation and, yes, even the sound of the Muslim call to prayer that occurred 5 times a day from early morning until late in the evening.

I participated in the ACICIS (Australian Consortium for ‘In-Country’ Indonesian Studies) Business Professional Practicum. It is coordinated by a secretariat based at Murdoch University in Perth. ACICIS runs various study options in Indonesia for students who study at Australian universities. The program that I undertook consisted of 2 parts. The first 2 weeks was made up of Indonesian language classes in the morning, and seminars or field trips in the afternoon.

Later I spent 4 weeks completing an internship in an assigned placement. The program was very well sturctured. For example, in the first 2 weeks, I’d learnt essential pieces of Indonesian needed to survive in Indonesia (for example, words for counting and asking prices). Every day in the afternoon during those two weeks, I attended seminars or field trips which really helped me understand general culture, politics, history and the economy in Indonesia.

Field trip to the Indonesia Stock Exchange

After the intense but helpful beginning, I was luckily assigned to one of the biggest property developing companies in Indonesia, called Sinar Mas Land, to work in the New Business Venture department. That department helps companies to enter into partnerships with new clients. Most clients are big foreign companies who want to penetrate the Indonesian market, so the working environment was mainly done in English. This was very beneficial for me, as I was able to participate in the company projects by suggesting new ideas during our team meetings.

My role was primarily focused on basic research to find general insight of certain property developments, and find an ideal location for certain property types. As the internship was only for 1 month, I concentrated on specific projects, and one of them was planning the new logistics park. Even though I don’t have a deep understanding of the logistics industry, I could actually apply the basic concepts and theories of logistics that I learnt from my Business Information Systems units.

From the moment I got the offer from ACICIS, I was unsure about working with my placement company, as it is not matched with my majors and is located quite far away from the Jakarta CBD. However, in hindsight, it was really good to live outside of Jakarta. I didn’t experience severe traffic jams every time when I commuted to work, unlike other students on the same program who were working in Jakarta. As well, I was able to save money because the cost of living in my area was much cheaper than Jakarta.

Severe traffic jam in Jakarta CBD

Part of the program involved writing daily reflective journals once a week. The program officer read through them to see how we were adjusting in the placements, as well as to offer feedback. The program officer was highly enthusiastic and helped to motivate us in our work.

Pictures taken during our Bandung trip

 

As an International student, I used to follow the routine that I had set when I first came to Australia (study; hang out with Asian friends; home). It is true that I had less extracurricular activities compared to local students, because I was afraid to get out of my comfort zone. But now I feel that I’ve changed a lot. During the 6 weeks in the internship in Indonesia, I gained valuable working experience, but also great new friends. I learned that I don’t need to be afraid to try something new.

I am now motivated to completely get out of my comfort zone. I feel ready to deal with the new challenges that I will face at university and as I begin my career.

Industry Placement Program: Interning with the Australian National Committee for UN Women

I recently had the privilege of spending 6 weeks interning with the Australian National Committee for UN Women, as part of the Business School’s Industry Placement Program.  The Australian National Committee for UN Women is one of 17 National Committees globally that raises funds and awareness for UN Women.  UN Women Australia also advocates for gender equality in Australia and abroad by engaging with the private sector, government and community groups.   

January and February were very exciting months to be in the UN Women office, as the team was busily preparing to host International Women’s Day (IWD) events in 6 capital cities across Australia which took place today.  These annual events are high profile opportunities to fundraise for UN Women’s work in the Pacific, to promote gender equality in Australia and to publically engage with our corporate sponsors and partners.  After returning to Sydney, I was able to attend the Sydney Breakfast as a guest of the University of Sydney Business School, who is the NSW education partner of the Australian National Committee for UN Women.

During my internship, I completed several projects including a comprehensive website audit and marketing strategy for our IWD merchandise, while also supporting the events to prepare for our IWD events.  The internship has enabled me to ‘put theory to the test’ and build on the knowledge of International Business and Management that I have gained through my university studies.

One of the most rewarding experiences was having a morning tea with Mele Maualaivao, Country Program Coordinator for UN Women in Samoa and the Pacific.  Hearing Mele speak about UN Women’s fantastic projects to increase women’s financial empowerment and political participation in our region was inspiring.  The entire team was even more motivated to deliver fantastic IWD events after hearing the impact of UN Women’s projects.  Other highlights of my placement were meeting the UN Women Board President, Elizabeth Shaw, working with volunteers at the National Multicultural Festival in Canberra, and attending meetings at Parliament House and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). 

Interning with UN Women has accelerated my professional development.  I have received fantastic exposure to the non-profit sector and have identified further career paths in government and business that interest me.  I also have a much broader understanding of politics and policy (a natural consequence of living in Canberra!), and a deeper understanding of how government and businesses can work together to create greater positive social impact.  

On a personal level, this internship has cemented my passion for women’s empowerment and gender equality.  I am proud to have worked for an organisation whose mission and values I wholeheartedly support, and will carry these ideals forward in my future career.  

Madeline Greer
Madeline is a current student at the University of Sydney Business School and recent participant in the Industry Placement Program in which she interned with the Australian National Committee for UN Women

My Industry Placement Program Experience at EY Shanghai

It was not until I handed in my resignation form and received my internship certificate that I realised my experience as an EY intern had officially ended. How time flies! About 8 weeks ago I was looking at the skyscrapers in the Shanghai CBD and wondering if I was really qualified to intern in one of the big four accounting firms. Now, I can leave with confidence and working knowledge about auditing and the industry.

I am an undergraduate international student from China, and I was lucky enough to be one of the students in the 2015 IPP Shanghai program. I was placed in the EY Shanghai office for six weeks and obtained an extension offer for two more weeks after the program ended. My role as an assurance departure intern involved various tasks, including preparing audit working papers for several subjects; sending, receiving and updating bank confirmations; and assisting senior auditors. The experience was rewarding and eye-opening. Doing audit working papers allowed me to recall the accounting knowledge learnt from university and put the knowledge into practice. Theories are best memorised along with practical experience. A real-life work environment allowed me to utilize and reinforce my skills and knowledge.

Gaining industry insight is another major feature of the program. First-hand work experience has allowed me to obtain a decent understanding of the auditing industry and various other industries. For example, I did not know manufacturing a plastic door handle can involve as many as 10 processes until I went to the client’s factory to perform the stock take.

I think what differentiates IPP from other internship programs is that IPP is a unit of study with assignments. I know it sounds absurd, and I admit that I was in pain when I did my assignments! But the assignments ‘forced’ us to constantly reflect on our experience and ask ourselves questions. For me, this is a very effective way to learn from an experience.

Another important aspect of the program was, of course, having fun! Although being Chinese myself, I have never been to Shanghai. For me, this was an eight-week internship as well as an eight-week trip to the most modern city in China. I am deeply impressed by the food, people and culture of this city. I am also glad that I met a bunch of like-minded and energetic friends from the program. We helped each other, shared stories and experiences, and become good friends.

This IPP experience has been a truly unforgettable experience, something which I will continue to process and learn different things at different stages of my life.

Harry Hu
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School

Virgin Money Mentoring Program

From the moment I first started studying at the University of Sydney, I have been involved with the Inspired by Business Program. Through this program, I was provided with a unique mentoring opportunity with professionals working for Virgin Money Australia. I was fortunate enough to have been partnered with Brian Bissaker, who was appointed CEO of Virgin Money in April 2013, and before that, had conquered a long and high-profile career in financial services.

During our first session, we discussed a variety of my goals, and I described some of my work preferences. From this, Brian identified a number of roles that were within the financial services industry that may complement my personality. He provided a number of examples from his own career and taught me about certain jobs that I never considered, and some that I didn’t even know existed. From this, I was provided with information that allowed me to really narrow down and understand where I would eventually like to gain employment, and once this was identified, I could really make sure that I was taking the correct steps towards achieving that goal in the future. During this time, I was also in the process of applying to internships as I’m currently in my penultimate year of study. Brian was really helpful here, as he ran through interview tips, and allowed me to ask him a number of questions about what employers might typically look for. Through this preparation, I was instilled with the confidence to sit through an interview and not feel too nervous about it.

In our second session, we went through skills development. Here, I was provided with the opportunity to discover what skills I currently had and also learn about which skills I might need to acquire before I complete my degree. Brian went through a range of skills he himself has found to be important, and I was able to ask him about the specific roles I was interested in, and what abilities would be advantageous in such fields.  This really helped me understand what I might need to do to achieve my goals.

In our final session, Brian and I went through a CV Review. I found this to be particularly useful since I was at that stage of my education where it was important to try and secure an internship. I was very eager to learn about what could be changed on my resume, and what could make me stand out among other candidates. I always had the idea that with resumes, the best bet was to keep everything short and concise, but through Brian, I actually learned that employers appreciate the details about your previous work experience, any of your personal interests as well as any educational accomplishments because they often use the resume to try and get to know the person who’s applying for the role, and they appreciate when your personality can shine through your writing.

That last session was in the early days of November. Currently, a month following the Virgin Money Mentoring Experience, I have begun working as an intern in financial services, I have a clear vision of where I want to go in terms of career progression once I finish university, and I definitely know more about what path I might need to take to get there. This has been a truly insightful experience, and I’m very grateful to Brian and everyone involved.

Ivana Dimic

Current student at the University of Sydney Business School 

Why delaying my graduation was one of the best decisions I have ever made

Six months ago, we were presented with an opportunity by our lecturer, Andrew Ainsworth. “One of the world’s leading asset management firms is recruiting an intern for a six month stint”, he shared.

I thought of applying immediately – what better way to gain more professional experience than to immerse myself in the financial world and apply what I’ve learnt there? It was like a litmus test – would I make the cut?

Concerns flew through my mind at the very same time – I had to take a semester off from university and delay my graduation – would I lag behind my peers after this internship? The fact that I had never heard of Wellington before that day was, in all honesty, unsettling as well.

I quickly reached out to a friend who was working in the fund management industry hoping for some advice. His response was clear – a six-month programme within the financial services industry was an incredible opportunity to distinguish myself as having a genuine interest in finance and commitment to your future employers. He also emphasised that the firm was of high calibre and reputable – that was all I need to hear to seal the deal!

The role
In my role, I have the opportunity to work with two different teams - investment administration in the mornings and externally facing global relationship duties in the afternoons. No two days are the same, making the experience very unique. My typical morning involves facilitating the flow of clients’ assets, corporate actions processing and ensuring that trades and assets are priced correctly. My role in the afternoon covers a broader range of tasks. For example, I could be engaged in performance reporting or working on projects that focus on industry analysis and contemporary trends. I have since realised that the only way to gain in-depth knowledge and experience would be to stick at something for a period of time.

I have been at the firm for only three months but have learnt a great deal – the opportunities to understand financial markets and investment vehicles across a range of asset classes never cease to excite me every day at work. To an ambitious undergraduate, this experience is also an eye-opener to the diverse avenues and career paths within Wellington and financial services that exist all over the world.

Having had prior exposure to other corporate internships, I can also confidently claim that the culture at Wellington on a global spectrum is unique – the firm is made up of incredibly genuine and intelligent people who are always willing to offer guidance. Being able to build a professional network of mentors who have been nothing but supportive is invaluable. 

Would I do it again? Absolutely.

Sam Archibald
Current student at the University of Sydney, studying Agricultural Economics and majoring in Corporate Finance. He unabashedly declares that FINC3017 Investments and Portfolio Management is one of his favourite subjects that kick-started his interest in investment management.

Apply for the next internship at Wellington.
Applications close on 30 April 2015.