What inspired you to work for INTERNeX?
After completing a degree in travel tourism and then learning about backpacker jobs abroad I loved the concept of combining career advancement, education, and travel all in one place.
Describe a typical day at work.
We have participants and agents from all over the world, so no day is ever the same. The hours can change week to week depending on what is going on. Typically, however, I am training agents and Universities about our programs, overseeing our teams and ensuring placements and programs are on track, interviewing candidates, networking, assisting with travel arrangements, and making sure that programs ar working out for participants and hosts.
Why do you do what you do?
I love travel and helping people find the best program abroad. I love watching people completely change for the better simply by living, working, or volunteering abroad. There is no more rewarding industry than youth and cultural exchange.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love hearing from our participants about how much they enjoyed the program. There is no better feeling than hearing how the placement worked out and how happy they were in their choice to take a program with us. I have also made lifelong friends from so many countries around the world and have often been able to visit these friends on many occasions afterwards.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
I studied tourism and business in New Zealand and use these skills every day. I have also been able to travel extensively with this job and now have programs in many countries, and look after people from over 50 countries every year.
What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?
Tourism and living in a new place throws up many challenges; from reduced spending in the GFC to Sars to Covid to airline disruptions to natural disasters like earthquakes and forest fires, there is always something going on and distressed participants somewhere in the world. We try to stay as calm as possible during these times and try to work on solutions while also offering confidence and assurance to our participants. We always find a way through.
What are some current projects you are working on?
Due to Covid 19 we are focussed on more local projects in our markets, such as assisting local international students’ meaningful internships. We are also hoping that as borders open our wildlife volunteer programs in Australia can be accessed as we have a lot of native animals that could use some support. We are also working on our systems with new CRM, ERP, and web development. There is always something going on.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
The road can be long and windy and take you places you could never have imagined. But make sure on that road you do not lose touch with your past. Make sure you send post cards home, write and call your parents and friends. Also, you will meet a lot of people and you will have to say goodbye to a lot of people too. Try to work out a way to stay in touch with those special people at such a special time in your life.
What makes INTERNeX special?
Our organisation is built around people who want to step outside of their comfort zone and experience the world but also want to have some structure to their travel. Our teams are all world travellers and know that it can be difficult, and we do not want you to miss the best bits; therefore we are focussed on ensuring you get quality information from the very start of your enquiry until the time you are home again, as well as an excellent volunteer, work, or internship placement. Our teams all really care and want you to have the most fun, safe, and culturally-enriching experience of your life.
Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?
We care and want to make sure you have the very best time in the safest way. We have been doing this for 20 years and are the leaders in work, internship, and volunteer programs abroad.
What hopes do you have for the future for your organization?
We aim to offer our Internship, Volunteer, and Work programs in more countries and to ensure that more people from more countries can get out and explore the world and be more than tourists in the most sustainable way possible.
What makes your organization easy to market to potential participants?
We are based in the markets we represent: Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. We can also give you the most up-to-date information about each of our destinations and our programs in our destinations.
What is INTERNeX's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
To promote personal success and facilitate the achievement of all our participants, host companies, and staff through experiential programs that foster a deeper understanding of our multicultural global community.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
A better understanding of the world and the ability to share that new world view with others. Life-long friends and skills that translate and assist with future career aspirations. And the best photos and videos ever!
How do you help support participants?
We provide support from beginning to end. From pre-booking advice, travel and placement support, arrival information and visa assistance, ongoing support when in-country, emergency numbers, and certificates of completion.
If you could participate on one of your organization's programs, where would you go and what would you do?
I love the Rocky Mountains and spending a season in the Rockies is one of the best experiences. From the best snow to awesome Apres-ski. If not there, then probably our tourism training program on one of the Great Barrier Reef Islands in Queensland, Australia.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Travel abroad and being more than a tourist is the best and most fun way to challenge your world view. By working, volunteering, and interning in a new location you learn the culture, the language, the food, the differences, and the similarities. It teaches you so much that you simply cannot learn on a tour or staying at home.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
It’s the most important thing you can do to shape your future world view. It teaches you to be versatile, to be open-minded, and to see problems as challenges rather than obstacles. In your future career, these are the skills and attributes that employers are increasingly looking for and they build resilience, skills that will help you in all areas of life, from family to friends to your career.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel is about doing something that gives more to the community that you serve than what you take from it. It also means that you need to become more culturally enriched and enrich the culture that you visit. From the very beginning, our organisation has been about offering programs that allow you to have more meaning with your travel and give you the opportunity to share with your host and host communities.
