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IDP Student Alumni: Anna, Malaysia

Topics covered

1. Where are you originally from and why did you choose to study in Australia?

I'm originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I've actually been dreaming of studying in Australia since I was a child. My parents mentioned to me from a young age that Australia was a good place to study abroad based on our family friends' experiences, so I had always been looking forward to it. Australia was also only 7 hours away from Malaysia, compared to other European countries in the Northern Hemisphere, which would make it easier for family (or myself) to travel to and from. In 2010 whilst I was still in Year 10, we had a family trip to Melbourne during winter and I fell in love with the place. Ever since, I've been meaning to come back!

2. Why did you choose IDP?

It was a coincidence that my mum and I found IDP one day after breakfast together. We walked in and had a chat with the counsellors, and everything was smooth-sailing from there on out. My counsellor was knowledgeable and was patient with helping me pick a career path, as I was looking to switch to study something completely different from what I just graduated from, as a graphic designer. I took the leap of faith and decided to study as a chef next, because of the passion I had for baking! She gave me lots of options for TAFEs, and I eventually enrolled me in a TAFE that was easy to get to from the city, and was the best in Melbourne too — William Angliss Institute.

3. Are there any challenges you faced?

I was blessed to have a place to live in, and many people whom I knew from back home who have also moved here to study too. My biggest personal struggle was feeling out of place and feeling insecure with my English speaking skills. Other than that, I had a hard time adjusting to the reality of the new currency rate, and because of that, I literally only ate outside twice a year for my first couple of years in Melbourne.

4. How did you approach your job search (part-time/full-time)?

I mass applied for many jobs and gigs on every website I could find: Upwork, Fiverr, Seek, LinkedIn, AngelList, Facebook Groups for job search, or Instagram pages of companies that I wanted to work for, etc. I eventually landed a casual job at Electric Confetti, a neon sign brand I've been obsessed with even before I came to Australia. I then joined LivenPay, a fintech food payment company, and now at S-kin Studio Jewelry, a brand that I've been a fan of since their early days. All this whilst freelancing as a graphic designer/ social media manager for small businesses mostly in Melbourne.

5. What are your goals for your career in Australia?

I'm looking to upskill as much as I can so that whatever it is for the next step of my career, I will be ready. I've been actively taking online courses for relevant topics that I'm interested in, outside of my studies, such as an advanced Squarespace coding course, advanced content creation courses etc. I want to have a flexibly job where I can do whatever I want, wherever I want; hopefully as a casual travel digital nomad creating content.

6. Is there any advice for international students?

Just do it. Whatever is it you're thinking, this is it; the perfect time to trial that crazy idea you have. It's so cliche, but the world is really your oyster. I have a few international friends whom I know have opened their own businesses or franchises within a handful of years either here in Melbourne, or back home in their home countries, after years of experience and studying here in Melbourne. You can too, please believe that you're the biggest project you'll ever work on. :)

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