FMAA App Launch - Connecting students to the finance industry

"Heavyewight firms are increasingly relying on internships to test prospective graduates".

So what are we, the students of the business school, doing about trying to secure that internship? Well as a commerce student myself,  my first option was to join The Financial Management Association of Australia (FMAA) which gives me the opportunity to network with over 44 sponsors at keystone events throughout the year, whether it be over formal cocktails or a 3 course luncheon at The Hilton. But we believe we need to connect to members on a more personal level.

So over the last 2 years, I have had the privilege of working with the executive team of The FMAA as the first student society in Australia to develop an app. This gives 44 sponsors the opportunity to reach out to students in an even better way, and the value for the students of the business school increases exponentially.

This is an exciting time for any student to be entering the finance industry, and by listening to the needs of its members, the FMAA inaugural app has launched and is facilitating this process. I’ m excited about the potential of this app, but just to get started, this is what you can expect…

Firstly, it opens swiftly to a clean and intuitive calendar that offers users at a glance information that is colour-coded to represent upcoming networking events or application deadlines.

Then, by clicking on a 'networking event' item, students can check not just the time and place, but also the purpose and style of the event, and which sponsor firms will be in attendance. Students no longer have to register manually on their computers - they can RSVP and input their details right within the app, and will receive handy push notifications to remind them as the date draws closer.

Application items can also be accessed from the calendar view, and this this provides a concise summary of the application criteria, job position and relevant information, as well as a direct link to the website to apply right away. Students can also elect to be reminded via push notifications as the date comes closer.

The 'FMAA' app is also an intuitive and convenient way to discover our sponsor firms, with a dedicated section offering brief summaries of each sponsor firm, as well as direct links to useful sections of their website (e.g. applications, contact information), and a summary of their upcoming events.

The 'FMAA' app brings the reach of our sponsors to our members’ pockets. Recruiters will be able to track attendance to their networking events, as well as gauge the backgrounds, degree progression and the calibre of prospective applicants. According to FMAA's Gold and Founding Sponsor, the Macquarie Group, “Here at Macquarie we value innovation. The FMAA App combines creative thinking and functionality by providing a tool that consolidates internship and graduate applications, events and sponsor information all in one place.”

Staying on track to success has never been so easy. ‘FMAA’ launches today, free for iOS and Android'. Download the app on iTunes.

Billy Kovanis
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School, and Sponsorship Director, Financial Management Association of Australia Ltd (FMAA)

Importance of networking

I came to Australia for postgraduate study, and landed at the Sydney International Airport on 24 April 2013. I felt as if I had landed in a place where I shouldn’t be. I said to myself, it’s going to be tough competition to study here unless I can  develop my networking skills.

Networking. The word itself can send shivers down a spine. Networking sounds scary but it is one of the most effective career development tools that you can carry with you for your entire professional life. Even if you are not a born networker, networking is an important skill that can easily be learned and refined throughout your career.

Developing and maintaining a strong network of connections will not only serve you well and help you along your career path, but, overtime, will allow you to assist others along their path. Today, if I feel that I am successful in my studies by getting help from my professors, lecturers, academic and non academic staff at the University of Sydney, its simply because of the word “Networking”.

Networking does not mean “using” people for the information you hope they have. It means building relationships so that you feel comfortable asking for information, advice, and referrals. Developing a good network is a continuous process, as new people enter your life and others leave it.

Developing a good professional network does not happen overnight. It takes time and effort to identify people who you would like in your network, to meet them, and build a good relationship with them. Do not think of developing your network as a one-time only activity. Many people are very good at meeting others and, in fact, enjoy networking.

I would like to advise incoming international students to be proactive in networking. I would recommend them to invest time and effort to do it properly and to be effective. A good network can be an integral part of helping you achieve your career goals. All the Best.

Shivaramakrishnan Ramamoorthy
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School
Master of Management, Master of International Management (CEMS) and Master of Commerce (Marketing)

Beyond boundaries, beyond my comfort zone: explore AIESEC, explore yourself

Taking on challenges is a fact of life. There are some challenges, though, that take you beyond your ordinary sense of feeling comfortable in your own bubble of family, friends and culture. By being pushed outside this ‘comfort zone’, one can observe a true test of character and adaptation taking place. For me, I hadn’t thought such an experience was possible while I was still at university. Enter AIESEC.

In brief, AIESEC is the world’s largest youth-run organisation that develops leadership through exchange. To think of how this works, imagine working with a different culture for 6 amazing weeks and getting the chance to really impact their local community. For me, a true leader is the person who makes the effort to ensure that each action they take is positively contributing to someone else in some way. And this is what my exchange was all about. 

Grabbing this ‘big opportunity’ to do something life-changing, I embarked on a 6-week AIESEC exchange to Hungary over the recent summer break. With my passion in teaching, my program was to teach a range of subjects including English, Mathematics and Economics to high-school students at a  Hungarian high school in a lovely city called Kecskemet.

Fun times with awesome classes like these: 9D Group 1

A typical day would involve getting up early, around 5-6am to arrive at the school by 7:45am. As the students enter the room, I would greet them in Hungarian and tell them we were going to have a fantastic English lesson. To make my classes really engaging and fun, I always made sure to get everyone to participate at least once as well as ask the students questions on different topics such as health, food and even transport to stimulate their interest in English.

My fellow teachers at Kada Elek School of Economics

Aside from teaching, it was great to have the support of other AIESEC interns who were going through the same experience. The international connections I made with people from countries like Brazil, Korea and Egypt will always remain and have given me an enriched global awareness of the power of youth.

Upon reflection, the thing that stands out to me most is how fortunate I was to have built such great relationships with the Hungarian people. Linking this with my vision of being an inspiring leader for the students, the small actions were highly valuable. I will never forget the experience of trying to learn Hungarian every night from Google Translate, or from students, teachers as well as random people from the street. I will never forget the movie days I organised and the chats I had to get to know each and every student. While the language barrier was extremely tough, real persistence like this is the best form of living and breathing another culture.

One of the most amazing host families I stayed with, true blessing

While teaching in a professional environment taught me how to present and teach English effectively, this exchange meant more to me in terms of redefining my understanding of cultural diversity. It showed me how important good education is to realising one’s potential and that challenging yourself greatly improves trust of your own capabilities.

In a nutshell, I have developed a thicker skin and am now better equipped to deal with uncertainty. When I said it was ‘life-changing’, I definitely meant this. There is no better time than now to invest yourself into a project, which you’re passionate about whether it’s teaching, conservation or any other cause. The professional development to be gained speaks for itself too. The bonus of attaining key employability skills such as a adaptability to change will differentiate you by miles.

Special thanks must go out to the Business School for providing  me with a scholarship that has helped me realise my personal goal of  improving the educational outcomes of less privileged high school children. I am now more committed than ever to continue volunteering in meaningful ways. For example, participating in the Business School Peer Mentoring Program and helping the community in whatever way I can.

Steven Chan

Current student at The University of Sydney Business School

Can Australia tap into the potential of Indigenous tourism?

Around the area of Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon), you don't come across too many options for Indigenous tourism.

I'm from the Netherlands, and was enrolled in the course, Social Entrepreneurship, at the University of Sydney Business School. The group assignment for this course was a market research project on tourism for Indigenous communities living in the area of the Kings Canyon. Thanks to a Remote and Rural Enterprise (RARE) Scholarship, I was able to visit the place myself.

I'm a radio presenter back home and therefore wanted to challenge my creativity. Also, I wanted to understand the different sides of the story. I decided to make an audio documentary on the topic of (the lack of) Indigenous tourism.

I interviewed different people while travelling, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. Thanks to the generosity of the Australian band OKA, I was able to put some great music in it as well.

If you want to find out "where" Indigenous tourism is, check out my podcast on the subject.

Peter Melis
Current student at The University of Sydney Business School.

The Sight Project: an initiative at the crossroads of disability, creativity and commercialisation

Enactus students at the university have been responsible for driving projects that tackle a range of social issues from education inequality to the integration and employability of refugees. One such project which has recently come to fruition is The Sight Project: an initiative at the crossroads of disability, creativity and commercialisation.

The Sight Project’s operations started last year, with the beginning of its three stage model. Starting with a series of workshops, artists with a disability are provided the environment to explore their creativity, as well as access to mentoring from professional artists in the community. The second stage involved the development of a business model where the artworks created during the workshops were leased out to cafes and businesses on a monthly basis to create dynamic public spaces celebrating disability and diversity.

The pilot run of the program recently entered its last phase with an exhibition displaying these works. Titled, “Time & Place”, the inaugural annual exhibition was displayed at The Verge Gallery on campus. Opened on the 4th April 2014, by Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir (Governor of NSW) and Professor Tyrone Carlin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Registrar) the opening ceremony was certainly a celebration aimed to influence the social perception of disability for the better. The artwork was available for purchase through a silent auction, with all proceeds directly contributing to the income of the artists and reinvested back into the project.

In the coming months, the student volunteers are exploring exciting avenues of growth for this new social enterprise with the development of three streams of workshops to accommodate the demand of such initiatives. Workshop locations have been confirmed for The University of Sydney, Redfern and Homebush.

Joy Chen
Joy Chen is a Bachelor of Commerce / Bachelor of Arts student and part of the Enactus Student Leadership Team at The University of Sydney

AIESEC Go Volunteer exchange: A life changing experience

It’s eye-opening what travelling over the summer break can do for a uni student, especially if the purpose of travel is volunteer and social work. That’s what I found during my trip to Europe at the beginning of 2014, as part of AIESEC’s Go Volunteer exchange. AIESEC is a global youth network that develops leaders through international exchange. With the aid of a Business School scholarship, I was able to undertake my AIESEC exchange in Hungary over a period of six weeks. My ultimate aim was to develop cultural awareness and understanding in my work in two very distinct institutions.

My fellow volunteers, who were all from Brazil, whom I lived and worked with at the refugee camp.

The first was a refugee camp, whereby many of the refugees came from countries such as Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran, Cameroon, Syria and Algeria. Together with my fellow volunteers who were all from Brazil and Mexico, I taught English basics such as ‘My name is….’ and ‘it is nice to meet you’ to the adult refugees. As many of them had experienced various degrees of emotional, social and physical struggles in their own war-torn countries, their aspiration to learn English was one of their goals in their pursuit of reaching safe and democratic countries such as Australia or America. For some of them, their brave stories of enduring months of travel by foot or with strangers made me cherish how fortunate I am to live in Australia. And although my father was once also a refugee, this experience of living and working in a refugee camp propelled many questions in my mind about how Australia was dealing with its humanitarian issues.

Myself and a volunteer playing soccer with the kids at the refugee camp.

After two weeks of teaching and getting to know the families at the refugee camp, I was offered the opportunity to work in a school for blind and mentally disabled children. Having never had any experience of working with the blind, I was anxious about how I would cope and manage my interactions. However, my anxiety was unwarranted. Whether it be saying hello to me and attempting to hold up a conversation in English (very few Hungarians can speak English) or bringing fruit and other snacks to my dorm room so that I wouldn’t get lonely living by myself, the staff and students all made me feel so welcome and safe. The warmth shown to me by everyone in the school really motivated me to do as much as I could to contribute to their learning and teaching environment.

My grade 3 kids at the Blind School.

So what did my typical day look like? I would wake up at 6.45am, have breakfast in the school dining hall, and start my first class at 7.15am. I would usually go to five classes throughout the day, teaching children who ranged from 7-17 years old, all of whom had very unique personalities and levels of English proficiency. Usually, I was accompanied by the classroom teacher, who could translate for me. What was really inspiring was that the teachers at the school were also blind and aside from their teaching jobs, they each had unique interests and talents which they pursued. For instance, one of the English teachers that I worked with was an opera singer who was concurrently working on her PhD, and is involved in numerous charitable and social initiatives to raise awareness about programs and opportunities available to blind people. She is such a great mentor, colleague and friend to me, as are many of the other staff members and students that I met.

Making ANZAC biscuits at the Blind School.

All in all, working in the refugee camp and the blind school gave me so much motivation to explore ways in which I could better serve my community back here in Australia. Hence, although I am devoted to finishing my Bachelor of Commerce degree and am involved in a number of student start-ups and societies, I am committed to making a concerted effort to contribute to my community by volunteering for humanitarian and youth development causes, as well as attending festivities that celebrate cultural diversity. Looking back, I can honestly say that my 2013/2014 summer break was undoubtedly the best summer break I’ve ever had.

Christine Ma
Current student at The University of Sydney Business School. 

Public and private work: Work, family and social institutions

While women who pursue a career in industries which, until the late 20^th century, were largely dominated by men, have been struggling against ‘glass ceilings’ and ‘sticky floors’, many men have also had to defend their ability to perform in domains that are traditionally dominated by women. A shift in cultural norms, a changing workforce and the rise and powerful performance of women beyond their ‘traditional’ domains, have left many men having to defend their identity as good fathers, family men and capable professionals. Although men still rank higher in terms of pay and job status in fields such as science, business and politics, times are changing.

Last year there were more women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies than ever before, and in 2011, women were more likely to finish Year 11 and 12 in high school than men and also made up 55.5 percent of all enrolments at university level (Baird 2013). And while such statistics are promising in regards to the prospect of closing the pertinent issue of the gender-wage gap in Australia, it also leads us to question at what stage over the past few decades did the success of the women’s movement translate into a stage for "reverse gender discrimination"? Why is it OK to publicly joke about the highly exaggerated poor capabilities of men in some areas, and yet if those comments were made towards women, a plethora of colourful words and a lawsuit would eventuate?

This form of gender discrimination is deeply rooted in many areas of our contemporary society, and if popular culture is any indicator, the idea of modern manhood is a joke. It is so heavily pervaded within our society, that all you have to do is turn on the television and look at the representation of men in shows such as Two and A Half Men, The Simpsons or Family Guy. Better yet, turn on any show and wait for the ad break where men are commonly represented as the forgetful father who makes breakfast for dinner, can’t clean up after himself let alone his children, or the simpleton who looks at women as if they are a piece of meat. Are all men like that? No, of course not, and similarly women don’t enjoy being portrayed as fantastic cleaners who are incapable of jobs that traditionally typically belonged only to men. But times have changed, and so should our attitudes to the opposite gender.

Men who work in traditionally female-dominated industries such as aged care are all too familiar with this, as the Aged Care Workforce 2012 Final Report indicated that men working in residential facilities experienced discrimination from colleagues, supervisors and care recipients. According to the report, “Some workers indicated frustration with continually having to prove their competence”. A feeling that would be familiar to many women working in industries traditionally dominated by men. So why then, do women who, as the women’s movement tells us, have been stigmatized and undermined due to their gender, inflict the same treatment to men who work in traditionally female-dominated industries? This seemingly unconventional inequality goes further than professional domains; for example, in a majority of cases mothers are favored over fathers in parental disputes (Mosel 11/03/13). Despite this evidence, Australia is currently lacking in human rights initiatives targeting men, as Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick recently noted that the Australian Human Rights Commission has no initiatives targeting men (Mosel 11/03/13).

What I am seeking to argue here is not by any means attempting to undermine the hardships that women have historically endured in regards to gender inequality. But that the endurance of such hardships does not mean that men should also be ridiculed or undermined by social groups in domestic environments, workplaces or government institutions for their capabilities across traditionally female domains. 

Rose Gell
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School.