3 minute read
ANU College of Business and Economics (CBE) student Gang Huangfu is the recipient of the postgraduate CBE Outstanding Intern of the Year award for Semester 1, 2022. The CBE Outstanding Intern of the Year award recognises the hard work and initiative students put into their internships. Up to four students are presented with the title and an A$500 prize every year.
“I was pumped when I got a call from CBE informing me that I won the Intern of the Year award," shares Gang.
Gang completed his CBE-sourced internship at the ANU Corporate Governance and Risk Office (CGRO), working as an audit intern. He graduated from CBE with a Master of Accounting at the end of Semester 1. Upon his completion, CGRO offered him the role of Audit and Risk Officer.
“I am so grateful that I won the Outstanding Intern of the Year award in my final semester and was promoted from intern to Audit and Risk Officer with CGRO. It definitely ignited my passion for being a qualified auditor,” he says.
Gang’s internship experience has continued to pave a way for his career development. He was recently offered a Graduate Auditor position with EY, which he will commence in 2023.
In this interview, Gang discusses why he believes completing an internship was so important to his university experience and encourages others to consider the same course of action.
Q. Why did you decide to do a CBE Internship? Why was it important to add an internship to your university experience?
As an international student, I know that local work experience counts in the Australian job market, particularly if you have a goal of working here as a professional. An internship is definitely a good start for students. I appreciate that CBE has multiple internships available each semester.
An internship experience makes you more competitive in job hunting after graduation, which is why it is essential.
Q. What knowledge and skills did you gain from your internship, and did they give you new insights into your PG studies?
I had many opportunities to contact various stakeholders and divisions, which helped me improve my communication skills. I was also taught practical Excel functions that could be used for workpaper-audit purposes.
I enrolled in the audit theoretic course before becoming an audit intern, and could see the differences between what I’d learned in class and the skills I developed in the office. The internship deepened my understanding of the rationale behind auditing.
Q. Has the internship changed your professional expectations and career plans?
Absolutely! To be honest, before getting involved in CBE Internships, I had no idea what I wanted to do after graduation. The incredible internship opportunity provided by CBE helped me explore my potential and led me to understand what I would like to pursue in my career, namely being a qualified auditor.
Q. Why would you recommend this experience to other CBE students?
I highly recommend and encourage all CBE students to apply for the CBE Internship initiative, in which you will have opportunities to enjoy the workforce regardless of whether your job duties are relevant to what you study or not. It also allows you to explore your passions and help find your future career direction.
Applications for CBE-sourced internships in Semester 1, 2023 are closed. Applications for Student-sourced internships close Friday 3 February, 2023. Click here to find out more about the application process.
The ANU College of Business and Economics offers an extensive range of specialised programs. Click here for more details.