Graduate Opportunities

University attended: The University of Adelaide.

Alice is a program advisor with Projects Abroad, a leading international volunteer organisation with over 4,000 volunteers globally. She spent time volunteering in an orphanage in Bolivia while studying, before joining the organisation full time after graduation.

What motivated you to become involved in global volunteering while a student?

As the International Studies and Arts degrees are so broad I wanted a way to stand out from the rest. With a strong focus on and interest in Development Studies, Politics and Anthropology throughout my degrees, volunteering in a developing country seemed to be the perfect means to benefit my study, career and life in general!

How did this role develop into a permanent position after graduation?

After returning home from volunteering, Projects Abroad asked me to work casually as a program advisor, which I did for a year while I finished studying. Upon graduating, I was then offered the opportunity to take this position on a full-time basis, and my role within the organisation has now extended even further.

What are your responsibilities as a program advisor?

As a program advisor for Projects Abroad I provide potential volunteers with help and advice on volunteer projects and destinations. However, my responsibilities vary and now extend beyond this into marketing, whereby I attend events around Australia to promote Projects Abroad to potential volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and interests, and assist with website and brochure development.

How have these roles benefitted your career development?

Projects Abroad have given me an amazing opportunity to gain incredible new skills and work for an international organisation with a great cause. I have gained skills in problem solving, communication and project management, and have gained an ability to take a strategic view of my role and how it fits into the organisation as a whole. I know these skills and this experience will be invaluable for my future career, no matter which employment path I choose to take, as the skills are transferable across industries.

What’s the best career advice you would offer to others? Take a risk, because you never know where it can lead. My work with Projects Abroad stemmed from an adventurous decision to volunteer, and has lead into a job which will develop and shape the rest of my career.

For information on Projects Abroad, visit: www.projects-abroad.com.au