How students get valuable work experience and meet new friends on campus

Working while studying is a fact of life for many students. There are often many options available in cities where university campuses are located. But imagine the convenience of being able to work on campus! It is an opportunity to get valuable experience while helping with other students from around the world.

Students from all backgrounds and interests work as student ambassadors at Deakin University. The opportunity to earn money, be involved in university life and make new friends along the way makes the ambassador program an invaluable experience. Whether it is presenting to high school students about what Deakin is like or providing advice to fellow students, helping others is a rewarding job.

‘There is always an advisor, a mentor or self-guided resource that can help’ – Stacy

Stacy is an occupational therapy student from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. ‘I love the level of support at Deakin,’ she says. ‘No matter what challenges we experience, there is always an advisor, a mentor or self-guided resource that can help.’ Now in her second year at Deakin, Stacy works in various roles as an ambassador. One of Stacy’s jobs is working with high school students who are still exploring their university options. Another is with DeakinTALENT, advising Deakin students of the professional career services available to them. Reflecting on her own experience, she tells us that ‘these roles give me a chance to give back to the community and make a difference. My favourite part is that I’m able to help and support students who might encounter challenges similar to those that I experienced in my first year of study – to remind them that they are not alone in the journey.’

With so many different types of roles available, being an ambassador provides options that can shape a student’s future. Sid came from Mumbai, India to study accounting and finance at Deakin. Wanting to get involved in university activities, he took a job as a student mentor. ‘The exposure was fantastic’ remarked Sid. As an ambassador, he ‘worked on major events such as open days but also went out to schools to do presentations, and host schools on campus to run tours.’

Of his experience as an ambassador, Sid says ‘There were lots of transferrable skills from my student ambassador experience such as customer service, interpersonal skills, presenting in front of large audiences.’ After working as an ambassador, Sid changed his career path. He now has a full-time job in Deakin’s marketing division. As a member of the Future Students team, Sid still works closely with school students, similar to what he did in his ambassador role.

Stacy also finds value in building her transferable skills in ‘storytelling and public speaking when my colleagues and I would deliver presentations, workshops, and activities for secondary school students.’ As a future occupational therapist, these people skills will be very useful.

‘Being a student ambassador has allowed me to make a lot of new friends’ – Mariam

For all student ambassadors, the friendships made through their work was of great value. Being able to connect and collaborate with like-minded students from all over the world with a range of experiences is a highlight. Mariam is an Australian student studying cyber security. She feels the best part of her work as a student ambassador is the chance to make connections with new people from around the world. ‘Being a student ambassador has allowed me to make a lot of new friends that mainly consist of international students. I always find it interesting to hear student’s stories, where they are from and what they are studying,’ remarked Mariam when speaking about her experience.

Sid agrees, advising anyone considering work while studying to think about becoming a student ambassador, ‘I would genuinely recommend engaging with opportunities at Deakin. Not only does this help you grow your skills, it also helps grow your network.’

Quick links

Learn more about working while studying in Australia
Find out more about the role of DeakinTALENT Student Ambassadors