Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Advanced Studies student Maya Mishra shares her experience on the Industry Placement Program (BUSS2100/BUSS6500).
What is the Industry Placement Program?
The Industry Placement Program is an amazing opportunity offered to students, which provides industry work experience at leading firms in a variety of sectors. Students work on real projects and gain invaluable skills, all while gaining credit towards their degree. It is a great program, which I had the pleasure to be part of in Semester 1, 2021.
How did you apply?
I applied through the University of Sydney when applications were open in early September for the following semester. The process is straightforward and involved submitting a CV, completing a video interview, and then participating in a group interview. Even the process was great practice for applying for internships. I then had another interview with CPE Capital after I had been matched with them for the program, which again was great practice for future interviews.
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| Maya Mishra |
Where did you work and what did you do?
I was working at CPE Capital, formerly CHAMP Private Equity. This was a great experience as I was able to gain insight into private equity and the day-to-day tasks of an associate. I was working on real projects, and the work I was doing would normally be completed by an associate or analyst. This allowed me to further develop my problem solving and analytic skills in a real business environment.
Furthermore, I was given the opportunity to speak with industry professionals, including the CEO of the company. This gave me more direction for where my degree can lead me, and what my future career may look like.
How did the program help your career?
The program helped me develop my career in several ways. Firstly, working for a private equity firm allowed me to develop a number of transferrable skills, which has helped me when applying for other jobs. Working in a professional environment with people of varying levels of seniority allowed me to develop my communication skills, and working on a variety of projects allowed me to improve my critical thinking and analytical skills.
Secondly, the Industry Placement Program provided me with an insight into what my future career may hold. This was gained through speaking with industry professionals, and also through the assessments. Prior to the Industry Placement Program, I knew I wanted to work in finance as I enjoyed the subjects I had previously taken, however I wasn’t sure what a career in finance would actually look like after university. After speaking with several employees at CPE Capital, I gained a deeper understanding of a variety of career paths.
What was the best part of your placement?
It is difficult to select one best part as there were so many enjoyable factors. One of the the best parts of the placement was working in a professional environment, with people of varying levels of seniority. Despite being the youngest person on the team, I really enjoyed speaking with people working in finance and gaining insight into the industry.
What was the biggest challenge and what did you learn from it?
The biggest challenge for me was managing my university workload between the days I was working, as well as other commitments such as university societies. Given that I was working three days per week, I had less time to focus on my other subjects, as well as the assessments associated with the placement. This took a bit of time to adjust to, however through better time management I was able to manage all of my commitments.
Overcoming challenges is part of any new job, and being able to better manage my time is an important skill that I will take with me to future internships.
What advice would you give to other students?
It is so important to plan your degree early and use the opportunities provided by the University. The Industry Placement Program is such a unique experience and I encourage everyone to apply as you gain invaluable skills. Whether you know what you want to do after University, or have no idea, the program provides insight into a variety of industries.
Learn more about the Industry Placement Program.
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