Rianna Darby’s global journey: enriched by insights gained from a UTS internship in Indonesia

Immersive internship experience  

Rianna worked at a consulting firm called Morelink Asia Pacific. The program she applied for was a group internship program, so her team of five students from Australia and Jakarta was briefed on one major project they would undertake for the three-week term of the internship.

The project was centred upon producing a feasibility report to be given to their supervisors at Morelink, as well as to their client, a foreign investor in the dairy industry planning to enter the Indonesian market.

“The program gave me a unique opportunity to experience a culture I hadn’t considered in great depth before, and to move outside my comfort zone.”

Cultural enrichment and language learning   

Rianna applied for the extended four-week Indonesian program, which included a week in the culture-rich city of Yogyakarta followed by a three-week internship in Jakarta. In both cities, she was paired with Indonesian university students as ‘buddies’, which greatly helped her overcome language barriers.

During her time in Yogyakarta, Rianna attended six hours of Bahasa language classes each day. Despite the short duration, she learned a lot and was able to use the language to communicate with friends, taxi drivers, security personnel, and store assistants. 

Eye-opening business insights

The trip opened Rianna’s eyes to a foreign country and the ties with the people and culture she developed. Before going on the program, she underestimated how different the way of doing business in Indonesia would be and expected there to be only minor differences.

“I underestimated how different the way of doing business in Indonesia would be. In reality, the entire business culture is different.”

After completing the program, Rianna has swerved towards pursuing a career in Asia or working in an Asian multinational company. Talking about her overseas work experience is a point of difference in interviews, and she feels more prepared and comfortable working in a corporate environment since completing the program.

Recommendations for future students

Rianna recommends this experience to students. Whether interested in working in Asia or not, by the end of the program, Rianna felt that she had developed and established new connections and skills that she often employs in work and study.

“To make the most of an experience like this, always have an open mind and be ready to adapt. Having cultural understanding and empathy was so important in letting me develop relationships with professionals and with other Indonesian people.”

Rianna’s journey in Indonesia highlights the importance of embracing new cultures and being open to learning from different business environments.