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.

Philippines Study Tour – A New Perspective on Business

James Wu, Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws student, talks about his experiences on the Philippines Study Tour.

Why did you choose to take part in the study tour?

I already had some experience with student consulting clubs and societies, so I was looking for something a bit different. I was interested in the 2020 Philippines Study Tour because it was an opportunity to work with a diverse group of clients and colleagues. Not only are the clients you are working for international, but the organisers and fellow students are also from all around the world. I’ve always been interested in international business, so this was a big draw card. From a personal perspective also, in BUSS1000 we had talked about companies moving from being all about profit to considering their impact on society, and I was interested to see how that might play out in the real world.

James Wu and colleagues from the Philippines

What was your experience like in the program?

The program is in two parts – the first part is the cultural immersion, where we were able to meet members of the indigenous community, as well as talk to a social enterprise farm. We gained some valuable cultural insights and developed some understanding of why these are so important in consulting. The second part is working with an actual client. We were lucky enough to work with Virtualahan, a social enterprise that provides Filipino people with disabilities with training to help them develop skills and boost their self-confidence. They also source job opportunities globally to help give people a chance to find a job. Our project was about helping Virtualahan to create a model to help them become financially sustainable, without comprising on their core cultural values.

How did you solve the problem?

To come up with effective recommendations, we needed to understand the cultural perspectives. For example, our client wanted our advice on restructuring the cash flow, but our initial recommendations were not as culturally aware as they could have been. So we needed to revisit and reshape. We were also really lucky to have direct access to a client – usually with in class and student consultation clubs the client already has some experience and there is a pretty tight brief – to be able to really engage with the client was definitely eye opening and challenging – but in a good way!

James Wu

What were the key insights that you gained?

I would recommend the program for anyone who is interested in social enterprises and understanding how business can play an important role in changing peoples lives. One company we worked with had a no firing policy. At first I didn’t understand, but then they explained that they want their employees to have security, because this can help build a better life.

Has the project changed the way you see your future?

I definitely want a career in business when I graduate, but the Philippines Study Tour made me reflect on how do I want to conduct myself in business? Seeing the real and practical differences that some of the social enterprises made has encouraged me to think about the role of business and the difference it can really make. Its worth the time to take the unit – just do it! 

Applications for the Philippines Study Tour 2023 open at 9am August 1 2022! See the full details and how to apply. 

My Job Smart Edge (BUSS6102) Consulting Skills Bootcamp experience: Zoe Fang

Zoe Fang, Master of Commerce (Business Analytics and Finance) student, has recently participated in a 'consulting skills bootcamp' as part of a Digital Industry Project for an accounting software client. This project was part of the new Job Smart Edge in-curriculum unit BUSS6102, designed to assist with developing employability skills. 

When I engaged in a marketing consulting project with a client who provides accounting software, as a team of four, we were required to develop innovative marketing options to grow the business. I found it exciting, inspiring and enjoyable.  

Our initial challenge was to provide an analysis of the business for the client. Our client is a supplier of cloud accounting software, so this is a business with a lot of competition as well as opportunities! To construct our report more systematically and professionally, we were able to use business frameworks such as a SWOT Analysis.

Zoe Fang

Developing skills through remote teamwork

Our team was an online team, which meant we had to develop some different and additional interpersonal skills. We had to learn online etiquette, and how to manage our work remotely to a professional standard. This was actually a great part of the experience, because more and more workplaces are operating remotely with virtual and global teams. Experiencing this as part of an online consulting team gave me a valuable insight into how effective online teams work. 

What I learned

I learned about the importance of feedback in an online environment.  Engaging the whole team in discussions, looking for positive points rather than focussing just on negatives and emphasising team goals were key learnings. Also don’t forget the traditional simple things like scheduling meetings, being on time and meeting deadlines!

Developing these interpersonal skills will assist me beyond the area of giving feedback. Soft skills such as self-confidence, team-working ability, and high levels of communication skills are the key capacities that employers expect from graduates. 

I suggest to my fellow students that if you have the opportunity to develop soft skills like these as part of your university experience, then take the opportunity. Learning these has been such a valuable experience for me and I know I will be able to use these skills during my studies.  I have also developed my employability skills so I feel more confident about engaging in a professional setting. I would really recommend any of the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Hub programs!

Like to know more about the WIL Hub Programs? Visit the WIL Hub Canvas page for current students or the Internships, Industry Placements and Experience page for prospective students.

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.

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.