International student Claire Ye, is currently enrolled in the Master of Finance. She had previously completed Global Management Consulting; and has worked in London, China and in Australia. In July 2018, Claire travelled to Kuala Lumpur on the Global Business Practicum (GBP) where she completed a consulting project for KPMG Malaysia.
I went into the GBP feeling confident from having previous work experience and participation in an undergraduate consulting subject. However, the GBP was still challenging for me. Together with three talented MBS students, I was assigned to the Advisory Department of KPMG Malaysia. I was excited upon receiving our project brief. My team was required to perform industry research in Malaysia and we would gain a deeper understanding of the consulting world.
My excitement was short-lived when the reality of our project started to sink in. The scope of the project was dauntingly broad, and we had limited data. These challenges left us feeling lost and panicked.
The beauty of being on a university-run subject was the academic support that we had access to. The emotional and intellectual guidance provided by our academic supervisor and the university’s library team allowed us to calm ourselves and think critically and creatively. We ultimately developed logical methodologies to tackle each challenge head-on.
After two weeks of intense research and analysis, we felt immensely satisfied and rewarded by the smiling faces of our client during our presentation. We learned that our research had provided validation for KPMG’s projects, as well as meaningful information that would contribute to their future growth strategy.
We would like to acknowledge our industry hosts who had generously offered us their time, patience and knowledgeable insights. A special thanks to Alan, Pearly and Ming - we are incredibly grateful for all your help and support.
KL is a bustling city and a great place for shopping. Coming straight from Melbourne’s winter, the tropical weather was initially welcomed, but the heat was also a challenge for outdoor activities. Since KL is known for its cuisine, some of us explored different restaurants in the evening. The readily available Malay, Chinese and Indian food resembled the mix of cultures in Malaysia. As part of the GBP, a walking food tour was organised for our group. We witnessed another side of KL which left a lasting memory in all our minds and taste buds, especially those that tried durians for the first time!
My advice to students considering the GBP would be to seize this wonderful opportunity and to just go for it! This experience has been one of the greatest highlights of my time at university.
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