For USC student Caleb, the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's New Colombo Plan program has provided opportunities to apply his learning in an international environment.
Caleb, who studies a dual Arts/Business degree, was a 2016 New Colombo Plan Scholarship recipient, and in 2017 was named a New Colombo Plan ambassador, with the goal of promoting international study opportunities and strengthening links between Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.
He spent a semester at studying at Konkuk University in South Korea, and completed a three-month business internship at the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Seoul.
He then flew to Fiji for a second three-month internship at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Oceania regional office.
“I had an amazing year abroad in 2016 – studying, gaining experience, making work connections – and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of the New Colombo Plan program and to share my experiences.
“I worked mostly in communications roles, meeting executives and professionals from two international organisations, assisting their operations, engaging with their clients,” he said.
“In Seoul, for example, I helped facilitate a seminar on the incoming new anti-bribery legislation. With IUCN, I took part in the organisation’s World Conservation Congress in Hawaii where 10,000 delegates discussed pressing environmental issues.
“I was able to combine my interests in business and geography while getting insights into how important the Indo-Pacific region is to Australia’s future.”
Caleb also joined a sustainable tourism research trip to Cambodia after receiving an NCP Mobility Grant earlier in his USC degree, and said he was looking forward to shaping a career around further engagement with Australia’s neighbours.
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Photo: Caleb receives his New Colombo Plan Scholarship from Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. Photo courtesy Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.