Workplace Opportunities

^{Back row (left to right);Samuel Pachoud (EY Senior Manager), Alban Tarlet (EY Director), Sharon Soltys (GBP subject co-ordinator), Michael Cahill (EY Graduate Program) and Jamie Crystal (EY Partner)}

^{Front row – students (left to right);Max Tomkinson, Elva Xia, Jane Eldershaw, Christopher Chen and Marlon Richardson (EY Partner)}

This unique and intensive learning experience will prepare me for life after graduation, and has made me feel confident about entering full-time work next year.

Christopher Chen is currently enrolled into the Master of Commerce (Actuarial Science). He was the Global Business Practicum Prize Winner in the November 2017 cohort. The Faculty of Business and Economics awards prizes to the best overall performing student in the application and interview process.

It was my first time in Europe, and everyone was speaking in an array of accents. Surrounded by men and women dressed in neat business attire, I stood looking at the idyllic view of Tower Bridge and the River Thames in the background. I had made it to EY London.

The Global Business Practicum sent 20 students to London, where we were split into teams of four to work on a project with a designated company. I was lucky enough to participate in a project for EY with three bright and talented individuals. Together, we worked on a thought leadership piece about Electric Vehicles. At the end of the two weeks, we became very knowledgeable about this technology which is virtually non-existent in Melbourne.

My key learning outcome from the two-week program was successfully developing my global business acumen. I was able to experience the differences between the world of work in London and in Melbourne, and worked with some inspiring individuals. Due to its size and centrality, the work in London was a lot busier, and the size of the projects were bigger. You could feel the rush every morning as people filled the Tube to get to work.

The Global Business Practicum creates a unique learning environment that does not exist in the common university subject. It was unique due to the project-based nature of the work, and because there was university academic support over the two-week period in-company. I had the opportunity to build my skills and experiences in a completely new environment, such as presenting my findings to a panel of partners and participating in daily meetings with members of EY. I sharpened my communication skills by learning to be concise and clear when communicating key message and presenting findings. This unique and intensive learning experience will prepare me for life after graduation, and has made me feel confident about entering full-time work next year.

For the lucky individuals who get to participate in future Business Practicums, my advice would be to enter the program with a ‘yes first’ mentality, be open to new experiences and willing to step out of your comfort zone. The practicum throws you into a bustling workplace, and allows students to take advantage of new opportunities. My experience and networks built in London will be invaluable to my career, and I am therefore very thankful for this opportunity.

^{Bart Pappalardo at University Square, Melbourne}

The Global Business Practicum provides the opportunity to challenge yourself, and grow personally and professionally

Bart is in his third semester of the Master of Management (Marketing). Last November, he travelled to the UK to complete the Global Business Practicum. Along with three other students, Bart was assigned to the independently owned, Marketing and Brand agency, Cherry London.

The Global Business Practicum program was a great success and a fantastic learning experience. The experience of being an international consultant from start to finish has been personally and professionally enriching. Since day one, I was extremely motivated and in my element working overseas, as I have worked in Italy, France and in Australia. I always wanted to work in London, so to do so on my first trip to the UK was a dream come true.

I was excited when I entered the Cherry London office on the first day. The company had a stimulating environment, a marketing agency with creative minds. We were introduced to the company staff as external consultants from the University of Melbourne.

Our first day comprised of a briefing session with the Chief Strategy Officer and the senior staff. We were given a briefing about our project along with the company’s background. The aim of this session was to discuss how our team would meet project objectives and deliver results. This was my first lesson as a consultant; having a good understanding of the project brief is key in any consulting project.

Cherry London believed in the power of collaboration and their mantra was ‘Together We Are Extraordinary’. Our project related to these values, and demonstrating that brands are more effective in generating better outcomes through collaboration. Coincidentally, my team demonstrated this mantra too. We were culturally diverse; from Australia, China, Colombia, and Italy. Each team member had different academic and professional backgrounds. Whenever a challenge arose, we tackled it with constructive discussions and creatively thinking outside of the box.

I was extremely motivated during the project; The skills I gained in class were being applied to a real-life business. Also, knowing that Cherry London was going to take our findings seriously kept kept the team focused. We learned to communicate effectively, which is essential in the business world.

The final day in-company was extremely rewarding. My team presented our findings to the senior managers of Cherry London. The presentation was unlike any classroom presentation. The Chief Strategy Officer was on a conference call; we were interrupted with questions and requests for further details. I enjoyed this style of presentation which felt more like a 40-minute open discussion. My team attempted to be creative in capturing our audience. Eventually, I felt positive about the work we had done as our client seemed delighted.

The Global Business Practicum provides the opportunity to challenge yourself, and grow personally and professionally. The experience exposed me to both my strengths and weaknesses. Following this, I will continue to develop my communication, leadership and teamwork skills. I believe these are the skills every manager should master. I feel reassured and more equipped for my career in marketing.

^{My team at the Cherry London office: (left to right) Nicola Rossdale, Mengxuan Wang, Bart Pappalardo and Diana Benavides Barrera}

Having completed both the MBP and GBP has left me feeling confident about the immediate value that I can bring to future employers.

Jeremy Smith completed a Bachelor of Science and is expected to complete the Master of Management (Finance) in 2018. He was the Melbourne Business Practicum (MBP) Prize Winner for July 2017 and completed the Global Business Practicum (GBP) to London in November 2017. FBE awards prizes to the best overall performing student in the application and interview process.

Arriving home from my European travels capped off the most challenging but rewarding year of my time at The University of Melbourne.  Forgoing post-exam breaks to complete both the MBP in July, and the GBP in November, I felt a tad exhausted. Nevertheless, the experiences and connections made from each program have been invaluable.

Reasons for the MBP and experience

I hadn’t expected to undertake both programs. When choosing between Business Practicum subjects earlier in the year, I chose the MBP over the GBP.  I viewed the outcomes of each subject comparatively but was drawn to the MBP as I would have the opportunity to expand my local network, without the additional planning and costs associated with travel.

My experience with the MBP was overwhelmingly positive.  As a team of four we were tasked with testing the feasibility of an online investment advice service that our client, Heuristic Investment Systems, sought to develop. This led us to complete desktop market research, compile a prototype of the software, and even interview the Chief Investment Officer of a superannuation fund.  I was challenged to apply my academic learnings whilst taking a pragmatic view on the task, driving us to constantly think of how our work could aid the client’s business.  It was immensely satisfying to receive genuine praise and interest in our ideas following our final presentation, and to hear of our host company’s plan to move forward with the work from our findings.

Reasons for the GBP and experience

I reconsidered applying for the GBP in London for a few reasons.  Firstly, I had realised that no two projects would be the same, and that the skills I had taken out of the MBP would only develop through experience. Secondly, the opportunity to work in a cultural and financial hub such as London would expose me to different work cultures, as well as working at a company with an international presence. Lastly, I could take a well-earned European holiday at the completion of the subject.

The lead up to London required more planning and expenses.  When selecting flights, I decided to arrive on the Saturday before starting at the company on Monday.  In hindsight, there wasn’t much time to get over the jetlag that 24 hours of travel induces – so I would recommend arriving about four days earlier to adjust.  Whilst students selected their flights, accommodation in Greenwich had been organised. It was about a half hour train ride from where the central London host companies were located.

London moved at a faster pace than Melbourne, both inside and outside the office.  The client was an international construction company, ISG. My team were required to research potential growth industries in which they could win work in in the next 5-10 years.  Following this, we developed strategies that could best position them for this.  We held meetings with a variety of people across the business to garner understanding of their capabilities, completed research using in-house materials and university databases, and drew on a variety of academic learnings from our respective degrees.

In comparison to the MBP, we were required to take an international perspective, whilst also quickly developing an understanding of the local market.  Similarly, to the MBP, our hard work was rewarded with a successful conclusion to our time, with our presentation to senior staff being well received.  Our fresh perspective and blue-sky thinking allowed us to elicit future opportunities for ISG, of which multiple are being progressed with by the business.

Outcomes

Having completed both the MBP and GBP has left me feeling confident about the immediate value that I can bring to future employers, as well as a better idea about what I want to do with my career.  I would strongly recommend students looking to develop their employability to undertake either program.

^{Left to right: Catherine Green (ISG Group Marketing & Communications Director), Jeremy Smith, Adrian Hii, Michelle Di Stefano, Echo Hu, and Chris McDermott (Project Host & ISG Group Client Development Director)}

^{Day of final presentation at the ShineWing office (left to right): Arya Lajevardi, Serafina Fong, Sharon Soltys, Matthew Schofield, Joy Wang and Joyce Min}

The entire experience was so wonderful... I strongly recommend the subject to fellow students!

B.Com graduate Serafina Fong is completing the Master of Finance. She was the Melbourne Business Practicum (MBP) prize winner in February 2018. Along with three other students, she was assigned to work at ShineWing Australia.

Why did you apply for the Melbourne Business Practicum?

I will be looking to enter the workforce soon. I knew that having the opportunity to gain valuable work experience would provide me a pathway to understanding the workings and complexities of real business problems, and enrich my studies at Melbourne Business School.

My team

Group assignments can sometimes be iffy, especially when you can’t choose your teammates. In this case, however, the four of us in the ShineWing team worked perfectly together and became great friends. This was the best group-work experience I have had at university. My team members were highly driven and capable – it was great being able to work with like-minded peers who were all motivated to make the most out of the experience. We were serious and productive when it came to work, and had fun after clocking off and during the weekends. We still keep in touch and get together even now!

^{Lunch walks were our way of bonding and taking a mid-day break. We came across Melbourne-themed graffiti along Gallaghers Place just outside the ShineWing office building and could not resist a photo! Left to right: Joy, Serafina and Joyce.}

Final presentation to the host company

The days leading up to the final presentation were slightly nerve-racking as we were presenting to senior management and ShineWing partners. Because my team was organised and worked efficiently, we were well-prepared. Our client was pleased with the work that we presented and the attendees asked many interesting questions, which showed their engagement. After the presentation, we were provided with thoughtful feedback to help us improve our final report.

Support

I am especially grateful for the dedication that Matthew Schofield (Partner and main contact at ShineWing) had towards our program. He shared his experiences and allowed us to talk through our ideas. This helped us form a report which combined our research with his specialist knowledge. Our supervisor Sharon Soltys, was experienced and guided my team. She provided us with helpful feedback and kept the team on track, so we stuck to the project scope and worked well with our client.

Advice for students

Doing the MBP has made my summer well-spent! The entire experience was so wonderful – working with a fantastic team and supportive mentors made the subject an unforgettable experience. I strongly recommend the subject to fellow students!

^{One last team photo – my team at the MBP Showcase (left to right): Joy, Serafina, Joyce and Arya}

Jason Lai completed a Bachelor of Arts in 2014 and was recognised on the Dean’s Honours List for outstanding results. He continued his studies in the Master of Management (Finance) at Melbourne Business School. As part of his degree, he completed the Melbourne Business Practicum (MBP) in 2016, working at the global firm Genpact. Since graduating last year, Jason was awarded a Victorian Government Hamer Scholarship to study Chinese in China, which he undertook at Suzhou University.

When I was interviewed for an internship at ANZ in 2016, the MBP was the first thing I was asked about… the experience really helped me stand out from other applicants.

Where are you currently working?

I currently work at ANZ Bank’s Graduate Program in Small Business Banking.

What was your experience of completing the Melbourne Business Practicum (MBP) and what did you take away from this?

The MBP was the most challenging subject I undertook at the university. The key challenges were the short amount of time my team had to complete our project, and the process of understanding the complexities of our research topic.

There were so many things I gained from the subject. It helped me develop my capacity to put myself in my client’s shoes, think critically about what they want, and identify their best interests. The project’s topic helped me gain insight into market risk regulation within banking. It was also a privilege to work with and learn from my amazing academic supervisor Sujay Nair, and my wonderful teammates Qi Pan, Yiying Zhu and Runtao Ma.

What 3 attributes should students strive to attain, to be successful on the MBP?

Teamwork is very important - it is not a task that can be completed alone. If there are issues in this regard, they should be raised and addressed as a priority. Time management is also critical due to the tight deadlines. It is important to be realistic about outcomes and to prioritise tasks. Lastly, report writing skills are essential. At the end of the day, the report is the final product for the client. It is important that the content is relevant to their needs, and that findings and recommendations are expressed clearly.

Have you referenced your experiences in the MBP when applying for jobs?

I referenced the MBP on my Linkedin profile as a ‘project’, and made sure to link my teammates’ profiles to this project. In describing the experience, I explained the research topic, my personal achievements in the project, as well as my learning experiences.

Did completing the MBP have an impact your career prospects?

When I was interviewed for an internship at ANZ in 2016, the MBP was the first thing I was asked about. I think the experience really helped me stand out from other applicants. Following my internship, I landed my current role in the ANZ Graduate Program.