"The program has built our friendships and connected us to new students".

Doing a two-week internship in Malaysia has significantly improved and enhanced our teamwork skills. To begin with, we were assigned to a team of 4 members with specific roles. We had not meet each other before being assigned to the team, however we got to know each other a bit during the pre-departure session and by exchanging group conversation in Facebook. One week before we left for our team internship, we set up a team meeting in the city where we got to know each other even more and felt more comfortable around the team.

There are three strategies that we would like to share on how to build a strong team according to our experiences. Firstly, communication skill is crucial and a common skill needed for students to develop and engage in interpersonal communication with their team members. For example, when we exchange information, knowledge and support within the team, we could greatly boost the teamwork and bring us closer, as well as make us feel comfortable around each other. Secondly, in order to create a healthy team work environment team members are required to compromise with one another. A successful team is a team where members understand and conceal each other deficiencies and focus to maximise their strengths. The last strategy is that successful teams are made of members that portray positive team behaviour and qualities. A good team member is honest and straightforward, one who always shares the load equally and is reliable, fair, holds a positive attitude and is loose in their compliments.

Based on these tactics, we established a great team and successfully accomplished our performance tasks without any conflict. Due to our excellent teamwork, our team took first place and won the competition in the Amazing Race.  Furthermore, we were well-aligned as a team and participated in harmony together to achieve distinctive goals.

Time flies and the internship program is nearly coming to an end. During this two-week period, my team and I have grown a very close relationship together, we are now like a family. We believe we are the best team mates and everyone highly contributes in the team activities and project to achieve the best performance. In return, we would like to thank the Faculty of Business and Deakin Aboard whom bring these internships to students and allow us to undertake a project with other students from different degrees and majors, to learn a new culture and to develop abroad understanding on real-life work experiences. The Malaysia internship program has built our friendships and connect us to new students, new colleagues and new people throughout the world.

Written by Brodie Oakford, Samithsophie Lay, Kimberley Tavian and Ahmed Gokler.

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The students participating in the Malaysia Team Internship were supported via the New Colombo Plan. The New Colombo Plan mobility program is open to Australian Undergraduate students who wish to undertake work-based experiences in the Indo-Pacific region. The Program is part of the Australian Government’s aim to facilitate young people’s engagement in the region.

If you would like to learn more about the New Colombo Plan Scholarship Program, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs website.