Adventures in Paris: Student Reflections on the International Placement Program

Day 1
We arrived in Paris at the start of the University of Sydney Business School's International Placement Program early Sunday and joined together for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. The very next day we were off to work! We were all very excited, as we had no idea what to expect. On the way to work we saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time, which was pretty remarkable and a great start to the day!

My work placement is with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), within the Executive Director’s office. After arriving at the OECD, I realised that I was working in a very separate building from the rest of the students. Straight away I was sent off with a company shuttle and was greeted by my supervisor. Raymond, who works with my supervisor, spent a lot of time explaining the organisation to me, what I will be doing and even gave me a guided tour around the area and introduced me to the staff. 

The day was very exciting. I got to meet a number of people at the office, including senior level staff. We went to a budget committee where representatives from all member countries at the OECD discussed the upcoming year's budget. Later on at that day myself, Raymond and my supervisor Greg went to lunch and had a good chat about Paris, my background and generally got to know each other rather well. I felt very included. The work is truly of interest to me, as it is directly relevant to my studies and future career prospects. I couldn’t have asked for a better placement!

Day 2
On the second day of work I got invited to join in a corporate run in a park in Bois du Boulogne. Apparently, this is a big event and people are very competitive as there is a prize for the department with the highest attendance. My department, Programme of Work and Budgeting, won by one person and we were all very excited!

In the evening we had our first lecture at one of France's top universities', SciencesPo, which included a very interesting discussion about European history, and how the European Union was formed. The lecturer was a very well renowned author, professor and researcher in European history and politics, Christian Lequesne. The lecture finished at 9pm and the group decided to have some drinks at one of the adorable cafes in the area. You've gotta love Paris!
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Another day at work and I am starting to wrap my head around my project. I have been assigned to create a geographical visualisation report based upon the member countries' responses to the publications and products of the OECD. It is very exciting as I have to manage a lot of information which aligns with my BIS studies. Luckily, my co-supervisor helps me with the more advanced excel functions and how to read the statistics. It was also my turn to have the trophee in my office for our efforts in the run – a nice memento for the day!

On the way home we did some sightseeing and got to see what Paris has to offer - beautiful architecture, the Eiffel Tower and adorable streets.

The only thing I can complain about is the coffee culture - I rather be tired than drinking this coffee!

Anette Hansen
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School and participant in the International Placement Program in Paris, France

FMAA App Launch - Connecting students to the finance industry

"Heavyewight firms are increasingly relying on internships to test prospective graduates".

So what are we, the students of the business school, doing about trying to secure that internship? Well as a commerce student myself,  my first option was to join The Financial Management Association of Australia (FMAA) which gives me the opportunity to network with over 44 sponsors at keystone events throughout the year, whether it be over formal cocktails or a 3 course luncheon at The Hilton. But we believe we need to connect to members on a more personal level.

So over the last 2 years, I have had the privilege of working with the executive team of The FMAA as the first student society in Australia to develop an app. This gives 44 sponsors the opportunity to reach out to students in an even better way, and the value for the students of the business school increases exponentially.

This is an exciting time for any student to be entering the finance industry, and by listening to the needs of its members, the FMAA inaugural app has launched and is facilitating this process. I’ m excited about the potential of this app, but just to get started, this is what you can expect…

Firstly, it opens swiftly to a clean and intuitive calendar that offers users at a glance information that is colour-coded to represent upcoming networking events or application deadlines.

Then, by clicking on a 'networking event' item, students can check not just the time and place, but also the purpose and style of the event, and which sponsor firms will be in attendance. Students no longer have to register manually on their computers - they can RSVP and input their details right within the app, and will receive handy push notifications to remind them as the date draws closer.

Application items can also be accessed from the calendar view, and this this provides a concise summary of the application criteria, job position and relevant information, as well as a direct link to the website to apply right away. Students can also elect to be reminded via push notifications as the date comes closer.

The 'FMAA' app is also an intuitive and convenient way to discover our sponsor firms, with a dedicated section offering brief summaries of each sponsor firm, as well as direct links to useful sections of their website (e.g. applications, contact information), and a summary of their upcoming events.

The 'FMAA' app brings the reach of our sponsors to our members’ pockets. Recruiters will be able to track attendance to their networking events, as well as gauge the backgrounds, degree progression and the calibre of prospective applicants. According to FMAA's Gold and Founding Sponsor, the Macquarie Group, “Here at Macquarie we value innovation. The FMAA App combines creative thinking and functionality by providing a tool that consolidates internship and graduate applications, events and sponsor information all in one place.”

Staying on track to success has never been so easy. ‘FMAA’ launches today, free for iOS and Android'. Download the app on iTunes.

Billy Kovanis
Current student at the University of Sydney Business School, and Sponsorship Director, Financial Management Association of Australia Ltd (FMAA)