"This situation motivated the team to stay focused and…together we kicked a lot of goals."
An internship is without doubt one of the best ways to make your resume stand out. Adding a foreign country, culture and a dash of adventure to the mix makes it even more appealing. The Malaysia Group Internship, organised by the Deakin Business School Work Integrated Learning team, is a fantastic opportunity for undergraduate students of all disciplines and takes place in Malaysia twice a year (Penang and Kuala Lumpur).
A number of students who participated in Malaysia Group Internship in Trimester 2 last year will be revealing their reflections on our newsroom over the next few days.
Students are enrolled in the Team Internship unit (MWL301), providing an opportunity to gain an academic credit while undertaking this unique experience.
For details about the 2016 Malaysia Team Internships visit our Enhance your Study website.
Blog 1 – Sugan, Cameron, Jospeh and Taylor
‘The old saying goes, there is no “I” in team, but there is an ‘M and an ‘E!’…..not something our team, Team GTF (George Town Festival), thought.
Right from the get go of our internship experience, we cooperated to work as a team and not as individuals. It started with an amazing race, was maintained in our internship workplace and it will continue after our time in Malaysia. From cryptic clues to unknown foods, together we tackled any challenge thrown our way.
On each day of our trip, we explored something new. Whether it was walking around Penang in the heat, or choosing a meal from a menu that was written in a language unbeknown to us. Through the combination of our individual strengths, our team was able to overcome any many obstacles. Together we faced sweltering heat, tropical thunderstorms, surprise spices and banana leaves (a highlight for the team). Eating off banana leaves was an example of one of the many unique cultural experiences we had as a team and also a situation in which we supported each other. Sugan and Cameron who had previously experienced this were able to introduce the concept of using your hands to mix and eat your meal to Joseph and Taylor.
Team GTF is like a James Bond martini, we perform best when shaken not stirred. At the end of the first week of our internship, the focus of our major project was altered to a new direction and we had to reassess our plan of action. When this happened, we were shaken out of our comfort zones, however, we did not stir, but instead we thrived on our new challenge and were able to achieve something bigger than we could have ever imagined.
We came here to see how business is conducted in a foreign country. However we had not anticipated the extent in which the workload was stretched. Having to be productive under these circumstances pushed us to work efficiently as a team in order to achieve more. This situation motivated the team to stay focused and…together we kicked a lot of goals!’