INTERNATIONAL L'OREAL BRANDSTORM COMPETITION

Three UNSW students (Ann Marie Yuen; Dianne Phan & Yen Ngai) all Co-op scholars studying Marketing, flew off to Paris over the weekend to represent Australasia in the International L'Oreal Brandstorm competition. Leveraging from their Industrial Training experience under the Co-op Program, the team won their way through internal UNSW selection trials went on to win the national competition against teams from University of Sydney; University of Melbourne & RMIT for the honour of representing Australasia against University teams from 35 different countries in Paris.

From Ann Marie:

We had such a great time meeting the other teams and at the risk of sounding clich we enjoyed the entire experience itself. I believe the magnitude of the entire competition only started to dawn on us when we began to meet & greet the other teams. Despite taking three days to actually get to Paris…and coping with the time difference etc it was so awesome…that we were competing against the top uni students from each country.

At the same time, I truly feel we did do one of the best presentations we ever did as a team… We have each improved…[in our] overall personal presentation abilities and marketing strategy front. To echo the sentiment of every Brandstorm student, there is no doubt we learnt so much about our own capabilities & what it really takes to be a brand manager at L'oreal and in the corporate sphere of 'real world' marketing… and also enable us to see that the training ground Brandstorm has offered is only the beginning of many things to come.

The L’Oreal Brandstorm competition is open to undergraduate business students with an interest in marketing who are in their final 2 years of study. It is a cutting-edge, worldwide marketing award which has been running for 15 years. The competition involves creativity, analysis, team spirit and the opportunity to network with competitive teams from around the world. The competition requires teams to showcase their innovative ideas and challenge existing assumptions!

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE

I was really pleased to learn that I could undertake a semester of international exchange whilst on a Co-op Scholarship. The Co-op Program really encouraged us to take this fabulous opportunity and held an information night where I heard from other Co-op Scholars about their exchange experiences. Continuing to receive my scholarship whilst overseas was also a huge benefit!

The lure of travel, new learning experiences, independence and a whole new world of people to meet attracted me to undertake international exchange to the University of Michigan. Having arrived back in Sydney, with six months of laughter, tears, discovery and excitement behind me, I can certainly say that this was one of the most rewarding experiences ever.

Getting involved in multicultural societies and dance groups, learning to cope with post graduate and project based classes, helping out at homeless shelters, cheering at football and ice hockey games, attending the ballet and the opera and living right in the hubbub of campus and forty thousand students from close to one hundred different countries, university life was an exhilarating experience. There were libraries in gothic architecture, classes in buildings of Tudor style, a union of almost castle-like quality and underground passages seemingly straight from fantasy land. The passion and uniting of students from all over a very democratic campus could be felt in the atmosphere during the history making election of President Obama in November 2008.

The entire experience combined with travel around North America, Europe and Asia not only broadened my outlook of the world but also of society around me. I definitely recommend any type of exchange program to all students as it has immeasurably enhanced my experience as a Co-op Scholar.

INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AT A MINE SITE

I was extremely nervous before starting my first Industrial Training (IT) at Centennial Coal at the end of 2007. It turned out I had nothing to be nervous about! Although it went by all too quickly, IT was an amazing experience, which only confirmed the fact that mining engineering is truly what I want to do. Each year, I can't wait for summer and the incredible experiences that I have to look forward to!

Over two placements, I've been given the opportunity to work with brilliant people with immense knowledge and experience of the industry, who were only too willing to share this with me. I've been exposed to the heart of the mining industry, having been able to operate multi-million dollar machinery (and some of the biggest equipment you'll ever see!) such as draglines, dump trucks and continuous miners, and of course….detonate explosives!

I couldn't put a price on the opportunities that the Co-op scholarship has provided me, and that's only in a personal sense. With respect to my degree, I've found that study is that much easier to comprehend when you can understand the real world application of what you are learning about, and realistically the value of such industrial training is reflected in the edge you gain as a prospective graduate.

CO-OP SCHOLARS CHARITABLE SOCIETY

Where can you help contribute to charitable causes and have heaps of fun at the same time? Co-op Scholars Charitable Society (CSCS), of course. As President of CSCS, I have had the pleasure of being involved in organising several fundraising activities, as well as planning more for the year ahead. We have camped overnight on the UNSW Village Green as part of Relay for Life in support of the Cancer Council, and currently we are selling chocolates to raise money for the Starlight Children's Foundation, as well as holding a movie night for X-men Origins: Wolverine, to help Habitat for Humanity. Later this year, we will be running our annual major event, the EMP (Emotional, Mental & Physical) Race, which is based on the Amazing Race. In addition to fundraising, we also regularly do volunteer work.

Being part of CSCS has given me a lot of memorable moments in my university life, and it's also a good way to meet other co-ops from different years and streams, so I would encourage you all to get involved!

Industrial Training in Accounting

Growing up, I always knew I wanted to do something business-related. I ended up choosing accounting because it relates to all aspects of business and there are so many roles you can choose from with an accounting background. The Co-op Program appealed to me because of the industrial placement companies they offered with the opportunity to work at 3 of Australia’s leading organisations. The best thing about the Accounting program is wide variety of work you are exposed to – you could find yourself preparing financial accounts in one firm and strategy and resource planning at the next!

I completed my first work placement at KPMG in their Financial Services division. The highlight of my placement was performing the entire audit for a client’s subsidiary. I was amazed at the responsibilities you are given as a Co-op student. Being put on their graduate induction program meant I was able to experience their unique and positive work culture and network with employees from all over the company.

My second work placement saw me planning Telstra’s financial and operational strategies in their Business Planning area. During my time there, I successfully completed projects that contributed to improved operational efficiency and value creation for their customers. These projects required me to liaise with many managers within the business, allowing me to understand how Australia’s biggest telecommunications company operates and executes their business strategies.

I completed my last placement at BT Financial Group where I worked as a product manager for their Wrap product. It was fascinating to see how the much the economy affects the day-to-day management of these products and witness BT’s commitment to the delivery of superior customer service. In addition, it was an exciting and eye-opening experience to be there in the midst of the creation of Australia’s biggest bank as well as the Global Financial Crisis.

Having experienced so many different work environments, I was very well-placed to make a suitable career choice upon my graduation. Having thoroughly enjoyed my last work placement, I was delighted to accept a position in Westpac through the Co-op fast-track application process (another perk of being a Co-op are the opportunities for early recruitment!).

Furthermore, I was able to develop valuable teamwork and leadership skills through opportunities presented by Co-op. Throughout my time at uni, I was the President of the UNSW Co-operative society and also the President of Capital W, a women’s business society that was founded by Co-ops. Attending leadership camps and numerous skills-building events hosted by the Co-op office and my 3 work placements were essential in building my communication and interpersonal skills, as well as my business etiquette and networking skills, all of which you can’t learn in a lecture theatre!

The Co-op Program has a remarkable reputation at both uni and the workforce. Being able to say you are a Co-op is a major advantage when it comes to recruitment time as employers know you are not only bright, but possess outstanding technical, leadership and interpersonal skills. Looking back, I think embarking on the Co-op Program is one the best decisions I ever made.