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| Bethany (pictured on left) with friends at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant a must-see tourist attraction |
Bethany Pritchard is currently in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Commerce and
Business degree at the University of Newcastle and participated on our International Trade Finance in Hong Kong Program in July 2011. Not
only did Bethany make heaps of new friends and go on some amazing
company site visits, she also got an offer for her dream job when she
got back because of her participation on this program! Read more about
her experience below.
Hi Bethany! What are you studying and at
which uni?
Hi, my name is Bethany Pritchard and I have
recently completed my third year of a
combined Bachelor of Commerce and Business degree at The University of Newcastle.
Why did you choose our International Trade Finance program?
I
chose the International Trade and Finance program as it allowed me to pursue an
exchange opportunity without delaying my degree or spending a whole semester
overseas. I am about to commence my final year of university, so applying for
graduate positions is just around the corner! By completing an overseas course,
it assists me to stand out from other candidates and the valuable skills I
gained appeals to potential employers.
Did you have any fears/concerns before doing
the program? And if so,
were
you able to overcome these fears?
Honestly, I had so many fears but of them all,
the scariest was the idea of travelling by myself!! Aim Overseas were great in
organizing a Facebook page for students to touch base before the program
commenced. Coincidently, there were a few students who had planes arriving at
Hong Kong airport approximately the same time as me. We were able to arrange a
meeting point at Hong Kong airport to organize a taxi to our hotel. From that
point on, I felt comfortable in Hong Kong and always had lots great people
around me.
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| Bethany and friends lapping up the warm beach weather |
How has this program impacted you (personally and/or professionally)?
As employers view undertaking education overseas
favourably, it has impacted me professionally by increasing the range of my
skills and making me more desirable to employ. I recently applied for a vacation
position at a top firm in Sydney and during the interview I was able to apply my
Hong Kong experiences to the interview questions. As a result, I received an
offer for my dream job!!!
I undertook the course with no previous knowledge of the
other participants and no experience travelling in another country by myself.
During the course, I formed new relationships and found my way around another
country. As a result, I now have increased self-confidence and independence.
Do you have some tips for someone who’s going on this course? (e.g. study tips,
travel advice, tips about the best bars to go to, places to avoid and what to
pack)
Here are a few quick tips for future
participants;
1) Pack
hardly anything and shop over there!! Hong Kong is famous for its shopping reputation and trust me,
it definitely lives up to its reputation. There is an endless supply of markets
and shopping centres so it is essential you have enough room in your suitcase
to bring it all home.
2)
Make the most of your time!! You’ve spent a lot of money to travel overseas
so it’s a good idea to organize extra trips on the weekend. A weekend in Macau
is a great idea.
3)
Make
sure your phone is unlocked before you leave!! It is essential for you to
buy a travel sim so you can stay in touch with other students and to organize
activities. However, a travel sim can only work if your phone is unlocked!!
Tell me about a typical day at Hong Kong
PolyU
A typical day starts with a massive buffet
breakfast at the Harbour Plaza Metropolis and then it’s straight off to the
Hong Kong Polytechnic University for a 9:30am lecture. The lectures
approximately go for three hours and are based on topics relating to the
financial world from an East Asian perspective. The lecturers speak fluent
English, are very willing to help and are experts in their field. Even though the lecture goes for three hours
the time flies.
After the lecture, there is a short lunch break,
normally spent as a group in a food court close by. My favourite part of the
day was the afternoon company visits to places such as the HK stock exchange, Bloomberg,
HK Monetary authority, Invest HK and Austrade just to name a few.
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| the happy AIM Overseas participants for the International Trade Finance program in 2011 |
Once the afternoon company visits were completed
we were free to do whatever we desired. It was always spent with other students
having dinner, drinks and the occasionally karaoke session.
What was the highlight of the program for
you?
I enjoyed every moment of the three week trip
but a particular highlight was our weekend in Macau. During this weekend we
tried our hand at some of the biggest casinos and successfully completed the
highest commercial bungee jump.
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What would you say to somebody who’s thinking of doing the program?
“The world is a book and those who do not travel
read only one page.” – St Augustine
So my advice is to just go for it!!
The International Trade Finance program runs every year in the July uni holidays. To find out more about this program or to apply, please go to our website: www.aimoverseas.com.au or email us on info@aimoverseas.com.au
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