Why did you choose to complete an Internship?

I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in July 2019, and have been working in casual jobs since to support myself financially. However, I still lacked the practical experience and qualifications to enter the Australian workforce in the field I am passionate in - Human Resources. In order to give myself a fighting chance to begin my career in the Human Resources industry, I decided to apply for this opportunity with Australian Internships. This was also a valuable chance to start building my professional network.

What have you learned the most during your internship?

Even though I am only 5 weeks into my Human Resources Internship, I am already learning so much about Human Resources. At the same time, I am using this opportunity to polish and hone my administrative and communication skills. Since starting my internship at Crowne Plaza Canberra, I have learnt about what a HR position entails, especially what kind of relationship a HR Coordinator and HR Manager has with their employees and stakeholders. I have also picked up valuable HR skills such as how to operate HR systems, maintaining employee relations and creating employee engagement.

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

Australian Internships has helped me immensely in paving the way for my first step into my career in Human Resources. They have given me a taste of the 9 to 5 work life which will ultimately smooth my transition into a full-time corporate position in the future. Not only that, my internship location is superb, being only a 20 minutes away from my accommodation by a combination of walking and public transportation. This allowed me to have more time to socialize and have some free time to myself after a long day.

What advice would you give future interns?

Embrace the opportunity to learn, and don’t be afraid to ask questions! I have realized the Australian culture is very straightforward and more often than not colleagues or supervisors would rather you speak up about a question or problem you encounter rather than keeping quiet, regardless of your position as an intern. My supervisors Jana and Michelle at Crowne Plaza Canberra were always encouraging me to voice out my opinions and thoughts on a particular project or workflow, and they welcomed my suggestions too!

What do you enjoy most about Australia?

Australia is second to none when it comes to nature. Canberra is surrounded by mountains and bush ranges perfect for an early morning or evening bushwalk, or the occasional weekend trip to the coast (or the snow, now that it’s winter). I love how Australia boasts a multicultural population, where people embrace each other’s differences wholeheartedly and are constantly looking out for each other. The culture here is also more open-minded compared to back home, which is why I also enjoy participating in discussions and chats with my mates to broaden my perspective.