Francesca; Tourism Internship in Sydney
Francesca is from Italy and completed her internship in Sydney from September 2018 until February 2019;
Where do you currently live?
Spain
What is your current status?
Completing an internship in Hotel Reception
Describe the path from your internship in Australia to your current position
While at my internship in Australia I had been looking for hospitality and retail jobs which was my starting point in my carreer. I began enjoying communicating in foreign languages and helping people. I then decided to extend my stay in Australia and to get my second year visa. It was a challening moment of my life, struggling to find work due to my lack of experience and facing difficulties, but eventually I got my second year visa in Australia and I then moved to Brisbane where I worked for 5 months in an Italian deli & cafe.
I moved to Melbourne lastly and worked for two months as an au pair. While I was there, I began to plan what to do after Australia and found this good internship poistion in Spain in the hotel industry.
How did the internship in Australia contribute towards reaching your current status?
The internship has given me office work knowledge and it laid down the basics which I are still useful now as I am doing a similar role-
What were the most important OFFICE SKILLS you learnt during your internship?
More IT skills, planning & organisation , team work, product learning and training
What were the most important INDUSTRY SPECIFIC SKILLS you learnt during your internship?
Product training, learning about the travel industry
Are you still in contact with your Australian internship host company?
No
Are you still in contact with the friends you made while you were in Australia?
Yes
Best memory from your time in Australia?
Travelling, learning how to work abroad, making friends from all over the world, learning about a completely differnt culture and living in a “different world”
What do you miss most about your time in Australia?
Queensland, summer, ther beaches, Gold Coast, Sydney , meeting people from different cultures
Advice for anyone thinking about completing an internship in Australia?
I have been happy and changed a lot during my time in Australia. Being immersed in a different culture and seeing things not only from a tourist point of view but also from the perspective of someone who lived there has shown me what it truly means to live abroad. I would recommend to do an internship in Australia because it would not only be beneficial for your work experience but it would be mostly a life changing experience.
