Jessica: Changing the game

One of the biggest challenges as a first year student, in my opinion, is to put yourself out there and dive into completely new opportunities you’d never had a chance to experience during your high school years. In particular, professional networking events are probably the most daunting opportunity for first-year students, especially me. Nonetheless, I’m a strong believer in giving everything a go, so today I had the insightful opportunity of attending the first Ernst & Young Game Changers Club event for 2016.

The aesthetically-pleasing building located in the heart of Melbourne CBD was enough to impress me, especially the breath-taking view from the 23rd floor of the EY office. The program for the event, however, inspired me the most. The topic of today’s workshop covered global challenges. It made me realise the importance of diversity and methods through which we can tackle global challenges. In addition to this, we had the opportunity of engaging in a Q&A panel with three EY employees who each had very different career experiences, showing that “any two experiences at EY are never the same”. Following this was the networking session, where we talked to a diverse range of professionals in various streams, including consulting, tax and finance transactions. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to listen to first-hand experiences in the workforce.

The event was not only engaging and impressive, but also inspired me to potentially work in an organisation that integrated global relations. It spurred my motivation to work even harder for my goals and aspirations so that one day, I can also be a game changer.

So to all you first-years (or high-schoolers), I strongly encourage you to get involved in your degree (or university life) as soon as possible. Whether it be joining a student society or going to networking events, there will always valuable lessons and experiences waiting for you! In other words, don’t be afraid and always strive to change the game!