Sophie Macdonald

Sophie Macdonald

Since starting her journey at CBE, Sophie has felt fortunate to be able to gain industry experience with organisations such as the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and PwC.

Why did you choose to study at CBE and how has your experience been so far?

I was always determined to study commerce or economics at university. CBE gives students  a competitive advantage over graduates from other universities by providing  first-class learning  opportunities, exposure to industry experience from, and the opportunity to build constructive relationships with future employers. Compared to other business schools, I think CBE provides such a personalised and resourceful service to students, through their commitment to employment and extending learning outside of the classroom and into tangible  workplace experiences. My core goal when starting at ANU was to gain diverse industry experience from my first year. The CBE Careers and Student Employability team have helped me achieve this. I have worked at government departments such as the ACCC and ASD as well as gained offers from private employers such as PwC.

What were some of the professional benefits you gained while studying at CBE?

During my time at CBE so far, I have been exposed to opportunities that I would not have been able to experience elsewhere, particularly in my early years of university. Attending CBE employer events during my first semester highlighted the importance of gaining tangible work experience. This manifested into gaining internship offers from CPA Australia and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communication. Through these opportunities, I  gained experience that I have applied to future interviews, and was able to further explore my career interests and consider future pathways into industry.