FBE Students share their experience as marketing interns at First Page. Learn about how they navigated their internship journey, balancing their studies alongside industry experience, and the lessons they learned along the way.
Bryan Jonathan, Kanda Wijitpawan, and Yashica Mishra applied for their internship through the Business and Economics Internship Program at the University of Melbourne. This program connects students with dynamic internships, offering them a chance to apply and hone their skills in real-world settings.
First Page Australia, a global digital marketing agency, was one of the companies listed as a part of this program. Each student spoke about how this hands-on experience sharpened their technical know-how, giving them a front-row seat to the next chapter of their careers.
Bryan Jonathan | Master of Entrepreneurship
Bryan’s entrepreneurial spirit is already in full swing. Originally from Indonesia, he’s pursuing a Master of Entrepreneurship while simultaneously building a start-up focused on making insurance more transparent in his home country. Driven by the need to solve trust issues in the industry, Bryan sees this internship as the perfect platform to refine his business skills and bring his vision to life.
Kanda Wijitpawan | Master of Digital Marketing
For Kanda, who hails from Thailand, the world of digital marketing offers endless opportunities for growth. Currently working toward her Master of Digital Marketing, she’s eager to learn how consumer behaviour differs across global markets. Recently, she launched her own skincare brand, a passion project inspired by her friends at Melbourne University. With her creative energy also flowing into social media, Kanda is considering taking her online presence more seriously.
Yashica Mishra | Master of Management (Human Resources)
Yashica, a passionate writer from India, is working toward her Master of Management in Human Resources. With a background in psychology and a desire to become a consultant, she sees this internship as a valuable stepping stone in her career. Outside the office, Yashica’s creative side shines—she’s already written a novel, blogs about psychology, enjoys playing guitar, and exploring Melbourne’s cultural hotspots.
How has your experience been so far?
Bryan: Overall, it’s been fantastic. I’ve learned something new each day. Some days are slower than others, which gives me plenty of time to shadow specialists and ask questions. Everyone here is supportive, and there’s no hesitation from their end.
Yashica: For me, it’s been quite a realistic experience. It’s challenging in several ways, which has helped me grow personally. I’m currently interning in the Human Resources department as a Talent Acquisition Intern, so work experience in the field is essential. I’ve been able to connect with co-workers and fellow interns, which is not possible in simply an academic or university setting.
Kanda: I wouldn’t say what I’m learning is entirely new; I’ve worked in a SEO agency in my home country before, but what I truly appreciate is the opportunity to learn about the digital landscape in a foreign market. Consumer behaviours are different everywhere in the world, and it helps to experience that as a student before entering any kind of job market.
How relevant has this experience been to your course?
Bryan: I’m pursuing a Master in Entrepreneurship, and since First Page is quite a global brand, I’ve been exposed to different industries. As a Marketing Intern, that’s extremely valuable for my career. For my final assessment at university, I already have a business plan in mind to present. Aspects of my role, such as creating and optimising Google and Social ads, have heavily contributed to my understanding of business operations and will help when it comes to putting my learnings on paper.
Yashica: I’m studying for a Master of Management in Human Resources, and I want to reiterate for the benefit of all potential future Talent Acquisition interns at First Page that practical knowledge is extremely important in this hyper-specific field. Given my field of study, I’m performing the exact duties I need to. This experience has also allowed me to work in HR in the context of a digital marketing agency, which I haven’t been able to do before.
Kanda: I’d like to add to what the others said; as a student undertaking a Master of Digital Marketing, hands-on experience makes this opportunity extremely relevant. As a Performance Media Intern, I’ve had the opportunity to build campaigns, observe different accounts, and analyse performance. The team’s advice has been very helpful and practical.
Yashica: I’d like to add something I learned recently when discussing this internship with my university program director—not everyone gets to intern at a start-up, and this has allowed me to experience that world, which is a lot more energetic and driven.
What does a typical day in your life as an intern look like?
Yashica: I like the fact that as we get into work, we have a small group huddle. I also appreciate the Monday morning company-wide meetings. My first day at First Page involved one of those, and I was happy to instantly have a look into what the company culture is like. I’ve known people who’ve worked in big corporate firms that don’t have a culture like this one. The energy and the vibes are different, and it makes the experience quite memorable.
Kanda: My day, like Yashica said, usually begins with a team huddle. On Mondays, I’m part of the company-wide meetings as well, which helps in understanding the strategy and direction of the company—what everyone’s working on, what creative directions we’re taking, and marketing updates that are likely to affect every department.
Bryan: Pretty much similar to what the others said. All my days start with a huddle, and then tasks are delegated depending on what’s urgent.
As international students who likely face a different set of challenges than domestic ones, how has this internship impacted you?
Bryan: It’s a very inclusive environment. I mean, you need to just take a walk around the office to see that. There are people from all backgrounds. I think some of us, as international students, might struggle with communicating in English, which is the only real hurdle in such settings, but the team here is very understanding of that. They’ll wait for me to form sentences and express myself adequately, I don’t feel rushed or unheard. This helps me deliver work better.
Yashica: I think we can see it in this room itself. Diversity was never an issue. This is an experience I don’t think I’d get in my home country; it feels a lot less homogenous here. We also have opportunities to hang out beyond the work context here, which as an international student, is vital when it comes to networking in a city you’re relatively new to. Everyone welcomes questions here, which for me, is very helpful.
Kanda: I’m not very confident with my English skills, and that’s usually the hardest part for me going into such situations. Like Bryan said, everyone is patient and will wait for me to form my sentences and express myself.
Is there any part of this experience you didn’t enjoy or any downsides you’ve faced?
Bryan: I think the only problem I face on certain days is not having enough tasks on my plate. Because it is a start-up, occasionally, I have less workload, and it’s hard to communicate that on days when the rest of the team is super busy. Shadowing helps at times, but I’d like to be able to take on more work as I continue to learn new processes.
Yashica: I have the opposite problem. Because it’s a start-up, there’s always admin work, if nothing else. I’d like some more direction in terms of my career, however, I’d like to know where we progress from here since I’m almost at the end of my course. But even when it comes to that, I’ve had help navigating the post-internship and potential-employment landscape by speaking to other former interns who’ve turned full-timers.
Kanda: I’d echo both of those answers.
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