In summary

  • For Raj Burli, a semester in New York helped steer him towards a new passion in education and digital technology
  • A series of Swinburne Abroad programs led Arlo Fehring to a 12-month engineering placement in Germany
  • Blake Innes says connections from his time in South Korea helped secure future work

When Swinburne student Raj Burli signed up for a semester overseas, he thought his path was set: finish his aviation studies and become a pilot.

But signing up with Swinburne Abroad began to expand the possible futures ahead of him.

"I was in New York for about three and a bit months, and it fundamentally changed the way that I saw my future," Raj says.

"University degrees teach you about something. I think Swinburne Abroad programs teach you about yourself."

He says the experience was like a breather, allowing him to meet people and see new perspectives. His time in New York kickstarted a journey that took him to a range of other destinations.

"Each program that I did just showed me a little bit more about me. I learned a lot about what I actually enjoy, what my passions are, what animates me and motivates me to wake up in the morning," he says.

Raj now works in education and digital technology – a passion he discovered through his experience with Swinburne Abroad.

More than a vacation

Associate Professor Jo Kuys says Swinburne Abroad is about much more than a travel escape. As the Course Director of Swinburne's School of Design and Architecture, she's seen many students grow from the experience.

"It's not just about travelling, it is about finding yourself and practising those interpersonal skills," she says.

"When they come back, they come back brighter, they come back more energised and more focused on their discipline."

That energy continues whenever a fresh round of students take off. Arlo Fehring is in Germany on a 12-month engineering placement, after an internship in Spain and study tour in India.

"These opportunities have definitely helped me grow as a person; not just in the skills that I've developed and finally being able to see how the theory is put into practice in the workforce, but also the confidence and the independence that I've developed," they say.

"I never ever saw myself moving to another country, starting a full-time job, living alone for the first time. I'm really glad I've done it."

Cars, techno, and making a difference

Beyond learning to live, study and work in a new environment, Swinburne Abroad gives students the opportunity to contribute to projects with real impact.

"They are not just working on something that's light; this is a real project that they get to contribute to, brainstorm ideas, and at the end, they do a presentation and get mentored as well," Associate Professor Kuys says.

For Blake Innes, that project was the development of an emergency vehicle for South Korea's notoriously tight streets.

"There's a video of us at like 12am just putting all the panels on the car, finishing it off, and we had some house techno music blasting. That was probably the best memory I have, doing something I really am passionate about," he says.

Blake says the benefits don't end after the journey back home.

"I'd say to people wanting to travel, just go for it. You have no reason not to. That's how I got one of my internships. I'm working now from connections on that trip."

If you would like to start planning your own overseas adventure or learn more about opportunities with Swinburne Abroad, visit the website.

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