Practical experience for brilliant student (Issue 19, 2012)
Trang Nguyen is from Vietnam, she is currently studying a Bachelor of Business (Tourism and Hospitality) at La Trobe University. Trang is a talented student; she received the Malcolm Lovegrove Memorial Prize in 2012 for gaining the best results in one of her subjects and the Dean’s Commendation.
Trang was lucky enough to have a host family when she first moved to Melbourne two years ago, however she now lives on campus with two other students.
‘When I first came to Melbourne, I was staying with a host family, so it was a big help for me to adjust to the new environment. However, when I moved out to live on the campus on my own, there were more responsibilities that I needed to take on,’ says Trang.
‘Moreover, I also had to get used to the new learning system at the University, which was a lot different from the high school system in Vietnam. Fortunately, the Welcome Festival provided for international students and the Orientation Week for first-year students helped me a lot.’
Trang is not only a highly-competent student; she also volunteers her time at places and events in the community.
‘I have made so many new friends during my course and some of them have become my very close friends. I also take part in the volunteer experiences, such as the Festival of Light and Friendship, Blue Light Discos and the Sunday Lunch Club. These volunteer experiences provided me the opportunity to interact with the local people and culture, as well as giving something back to the community.’
Trang finds the practical learning components of her course very different to what she is used to, but very useful nonetheless.
‘My course involves many practical studies, such as field trips and work experience programs. This is a major difference from the educational experience in my home country because theoretical studies are considered more important there.
‘However, practical studies actually assisted me a lot in gaining my understanding, as well as interaction with the knowledge from my course. For one of my subjects, we got the opportunity to engage in a one-day field trip to Yarra Valley to learn about how wine is made at the vineyards. It was one of my most memorable and amazing experiences in Australia.
‘I also got my first work experience at Rydges Hotel as a food and beverage attendant and housekeeping room attendant as part of assessment for my course. It was a unique and valuable experience, which contributed a lot to my study.’
Trang has a bright future in front of her and she believes her international La Trobe qualification will create a lot of career opportunities.
‘Studying and living in Australia have helped me develop significantly as an individual. I have become more independent and confident in myself. I have learned to communicate and express my feelings better. The skills, knowledge and experiences that I have gained during my course here will definitely be a helpful tool for me to succeed in my future career.’
