“It was one of my objectives to apply for the internship stream when I enrolled in the Master of Project Management course since I believed that it would be the best way for me to experience the Australian working culture. Indeed internships prove that it is not always about learning how to work but there are diverse opportunities that lie within.

 My experience on internship did not limit developing my skills in project management but also skills like critical thinking, decision making, stress management, and patience within the work environment. It is important to communicate with your colleagues and clarify doubts or discuss any matters at the workplace since we should know that they are always willing to help. Sometimes internships would not give you the things you learned in theory but if you work hard and smart enough you can realize there are ways to learn many things from an internship, ultimately the organization will recognize you as an asset.

 Australian Internship guides you throughout the process and gives you the advice to make the most of your internship. I considered the Australian Internship as support who kept my back at all times during this period.

 I explored that Australia is a place that gives you equality and encourages you to pursue your dreams. Being an international student, I realized internship is the first step to reach my goals and objectives.

 An internship is not about putting the theory into practice in what you learned from the University. It is a golden opportunity given for you to carve yourself so that you will find the best fit for yourself in a professional network.”

“I am having an amazing time at GTS - I like the work environment which it is friendly and completely different from what I expected at the start of the internship. I want to thank AI and CQU for providing such a wonderful opportunity that really helped me experience the real management world.

So far I have completed my induction online training, met the other employees and read contracts.  I traveled to Bunbury with my Manager to meet the Branch manager and learned how to prepare a presentation for a company, gather necessary project information, conduct professional meetings and how to utilize lessons learned data from previous projects to win future contracts. Most of this work goes on in the background so it was a wonderful experience for me.

During travel, I had an opportunity to learn from my manager his experiences, how he tackles problems, how he communicates and how to manage people. My manager assigned me the task of changing the GTS's yearly forecasting software to a better one since it lacks many features and is time-consuming. Therefore I searched 6 project management software online and tested all of them so as to choose the one that suits the business needs. I presented a prototype to the manager after contacting the software developers via email. I hope I can successfully implement this software into the company system which will be decided in an upcoming meeting. The most important thing that I learned and liked was the challenge that every project brings and how they can be tackled”

1. Why did you choose to complete an Internship?

Internship is considered to be a starting point to build a career in any field and I believe that internship is helpful in transforming a student into competent professional. I am an international student and I understand the significance of internships in understanding the work culture, work environment and socio-economic pulse resonating in a country like Australia.  This realisation is one of the reasons that drive me to continue my internship in this crisis situation due to COVID-19. Moreover, the host organisation is an engineering company and they have couple of interesting projects on board, which attracted me to do an internship. Also, Australian Internships and my host organisation support me and keep in regular contact to bring the confidence level even in this pandemic situation.

2. What have you learned the most during your internship?

I am intern with few years of experience in the industry and still, there are plenty out there in my host organisation which is absolutely new to me. To be specific, the project documentation and procedures in my country is different to that of Australian industry. Through this internship, the most I learned is about Australian standards and project documentations.  Furthermore, I get to know more about an Australian company and how they progress in the engineering field. As an engineer, it is exciting to do this internship.

3. What benefits do you feel AI contributed to your internship and time in Australia?

Firstly, I would like to thank my internship supervisor and the whole team in coordinating this internship during this pandemic situation. The regular feedback and checks on interns are really appreciable and there are no words to express my sincere gratitude for Australian Internships. Being honest here, I have never expected that I could do an internship now, but Australian Internships made it possible and it means a lot to me in terms of my career and life in Australia.

4. What advice would you give future interns?

One advice for future interns is: cooperate with Australian Internships and they will assist you to get you in the right place that best fits you. I personally feel that Australian Internships is very supportive and quick.

5. What do you enjoy most about Australia?

Weather and multi-cultural life in Australia is something that amazes me. The most enjoyable thing in Australia is the liveability of the country with quiet regional areas and beaches.