Useful links
News_
How Samantha's business degree landed her a job before graduating
14 June 2022
Business Practicum unit helps student secure role at Ingram Micro
Work-integrated learning opportunities within Samantha Xiong's Master of Commerce degree helped her land a full-time job as a Business Analyst at Ingram Micro before she’d finished her studies.
Samantha Xiong in front of the University of Sydney Quad
Unsure of her career path before commencing her degree, Samantha chose the adaptable Master of Commerce program.
"The Master of Commerce at the University of Sydney allowed me to choose two specialisations: Finance and Business Analytics," she says.
"The flexibility of the specialisations allowed me to combine knowledge of two different areas and enhance my competitiveness in the job market."
By taking advantage of opportunities to work with industry throughout the Master of Commerce, Samantha defined her career aspirations and secured employment as a Business Analyst at Ingram Micro, a global leader in technology and supply chain services.
Landing a job while studying
Master of Commerce student Samantha Xiong
The Business Practicum, a unit of study in which students consult on a real project with an industry partner, allowed Samantha to work on a project sponsored by Ingram Micro while developing her leadership skills as a project representative.
"Student Consultants were divided into three different groups and focused on enhancing three business areas of Ingram Micro, including finance, e-commerce and automation," Samantha says.
"During this consulting process, consultants need to identify business problems, propose potential solutions, create prototypes and deliver project results."
Samantha's role as the project representative for her team gave her further opportunities to engage with Australia’s technology and supply chain distributor, Ingram Micro, and the leading distributor offered her a job interview after the completion of her course.
"Samantha and her team were the most professional in their presentations and we recognised the talent she could bring into our business," says John Dalgarno, Chief Financial Officer at Ingram Micro Australia.
"We wanted to ensure we gave her the right career path, especially seeing her passion in Business Intelligence and Data Science. Today Samantha holds the title of Business Analyst within our strategic vendor group and we are proud to have her join the Ingram Micro family."
Our partnership with the University of Sydney Business School exposed students to working on real business problems and managing stakeholder relations. It is important for students to work alongside industry experts and learn how to develop skills outside their curriculum before joining the workforce.
Tim Ament, Senior Vice President and Chief Country Executive at Ingram Micro Australia and New Zealand
Developing leadership skills
The Business Practicum was only one of the many University of Sydney Business School opportunities Samantha seized during her studies.
"I tucked the Business Practicum, the Job Smart Program, volunteer activities, interviews and a part-time job into my calendar while completing my degree," Samantha says.
"The University of Sydney Business School provided me with countless support, employability programs and mental health services."
Participating in volunteering activities at the University connected Samantha with other students and developed her leadership abilities.
As a peer mentor, she supported over fifteen new students as they adjusted to university life during the pandemic. She was also an active member of the Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association and intends to continue her volunteer work as an alumna.
"I would love to volunteer for the Industry Mentoring Program and support more University of Sydney students to achieve their career goals," Samantha says.
Lifelong learning
Now a full-time Business Analyst at Ingram Micro, Samantha enjoys the opportunity to develop the skills she learned throughout the Master of Commerce degree.
"The best part of my job is that I face the challenge to learn new technology tools all the time," Samantha says. "Every project is different, and I can always learn something new from it. As a life learner, I quite enjoy the learning journey."
