Where once he dreamt of a career in Asia, Tobias Forster-Wright now sees it as part of life after university.
The 25-year-old, who has travelled to the Republic of Korea as part of Griffith University’s Global Mobility Business Internship Program, is confident the international experience will set him up well for the job market after he graduates from Griffith Business School mid-2016.
The Brisbane commerce student (majoring in finance) is filling his summer semester with a series of classes at Yonsei University in Seoul, followed by an internship with Samjong KPMG.
“My time here has given me the industry, language and cultural experience to cement my personal aspirations to develop an international career in Asia,” he said.
“This opportunity encouraged me to believe that I now have a competitive chance to make a success living and working abroad. I believe that the experience helped me to generate some of the job-ready attributes that industry employers are searching for in graduate applicants today.”
FIND OUT MORE: Global Mobility Business Internships
Tobias was among 24 Griffith University students to gain international experience during the summer as part of the Global Mobility Business Internship Program, with Bali, Beijing and Essen in Germany the other destinations.
“The program provided me with world-class industry work experience in one of the largest and most respected financial institutions in an amazingly vibrant and exotic country.”
“I have also gained access to international networking opportunities with industry professionals and academic staff from Korea’s most prestigious tertiary institution. I could not have asked for a more beneficial opportunity upon which to begin building my career.”
Tobias also took advantage of the chance to immerse himself in Korean life, undeterred by chilling temperatures or an enormous public transport system.
“Seoul is an amazingly efficient and technologically advanced city, boasting a strong and proud history and culture. The city is teeming with vibrant architecture, colour and light surrounding the millions of people getting about their daily lives.
“It would seem that life in Seoul is not for the faint of heart. The fusion of an intense sub-zero winter climate, the longest average working week of any nation on earth and a drinking culture to rival any other, made my time in Seoul a challenging and immersive cultural experience.”
Opportunity
Griffith University offers a ​range of exciting opportunities for students to undertake an international experience as a part of their degree​.
Options include a full semester or year at an overseas partner university, volunteering, global internships, short courses, study tours, placements and research practicums. More than 1200 ​Griffith ​students travelled to overseas locations last year.
“​The University places a very strong emphasis on the transformational outcomes of a Griffith degree, made possible through experiences such as ​those offered overseas, ​and ​student​ feedback supports the value of these,” Shelly Maller, manager, Global Mobility, Griffith International, said.
FIND OUT MORE: Global Mobility Business Internships
More than $800,000 in funding has been awarded to the Global Mobility Business Internship Program by the Australian Government to support 147 Australian undergraduate students taking part in the 2016-18 New Colombo Plan Mobility Program in the Indo-Pacific region.