Iris Pham moved to the Gold Coast thinking she would never feel the need to connect or belong until she discovered the local community.
By stepping out of her comfort zone Iris discovered a wonderful new world of support and friendship, eventually cultivating a new and special community of her own.
Charlotte Gibbs began her tertiary journey in Melbourne and while she enjoyed studying there something was missing from her life.
A holiday to the Gold Coast soon revealed its charms as a warm and welcoming city surrounded by natural beauty. During that trip a visit to Bond University triggered an unexpected desire for Charlotte to switch universities and study here.
In this blog post Charlotte explains her motivations for leaving Melbourne, how she fell in love with the Gold Coast and why her move here was the right choice.
Nestled on the outskirts of the city’s hinterland lies Hinze Dam, a facility operated by Seqwater, Queensland’s Bulk Water Supply Authority that provides more than three million people across South-East Queensland with safe, secure, and cost-adequate water.
According to the WHO, one in four people do not have access to clean drinking water, a necessity we should never take for granted. With this in mind the 2022 Mayor’s Student Ambassadors were invited to take a tour of the Hinze Dam facilities. The tour began at the Hinze Dam View Café with a lovely morning tea that included some delicious scones, jam, and cream - clearly this wasn’t going to be an excursion designed for anyone watching their weight!
The friendly staff from Seqwater guided the Ambassadors through the site for a scenic walk explaining the history of the dam, its processes and how they manage the catchment health and community recreation facilities there.
Having grown up on the Gold Coast I’d say I know the city well, but one of the reasons I applied to become a Mayor’s Student Ambassador was to gain a better understanding of my hometown while building professional networking opportunities. The Civic Workshop I attended last week gave me the opportunity to do both.
The Civic Workshop is one of the many experiences run through the Mayor’s Student Ambassador Program and is run by the staff from the Mayor’s Office. The session began with all of the Ambassadors filing into the City’s Council Chambers with each Ambassador taking a seat usually reserved for the City Councillors – this is where all of the big decisions are made regarding the city’s policies and its future direction, so it certainly felt like the most appropriate place to discover how the city is run. It also felt a little imposing!
The workshop is essentially a series of presentations from the various members of the team from the Mayor’s Office with key city staff also joining in to enlighten us on their area of expertise. Throughout the morning we learned about the history of the city, its governance, and the future with the City’s Strategic Plan providing a blueprint on how it will manage its growth.
International students play an important role in the Australian workforce, especially in the retail, hospitality and service industries. With the lowest unemployment rate since August 2008, this is the best time for polishing your resume to get your dream job in the land down under. International students have a great reputation among employers on the Gold Coast, specifically for their soft skills and diverse backgrounds.
A recent survey published at the Harvard Business Review found that employers have been adding more-detailed soft-skills requirements in their postings between 2017 and 2021, and this trend is here to stay. If you're an international student here's five soft skills that will help you to stand out and get a job in Australia.
On a lazy winter morning, I started my day watching ‘Harishchandrachi Factory’ on Netflix; a Marathi movie on how the first feature film was produced in India. Pretty impressive! You should watch it too. I hadn’t planned for the rest of the day, but I knew I had one place that would welcome me; a place where I could chill and experience some good vibes.
The Gold Coast Student Hub is situated in the heart of Southport and is easily accessible via public transport for any student who travels via bus or tram using their Go Card. When you get off the tram at Southport station, the Hub is right next door – easy! Branded in my favourite colour teal, the Gold Coast Student Hub stands out as a unique place dedicated for students to hang out, connect, explore and learn.
Captivating natural landscapes, top-level educational institutions, and a multicultural city. These three aspects of the Gold Coast already make it the best place for any international student. But it isn’t just that: this city is a place with endless employment opportunities for international students. It is the 6th largest city in Australia, with a 12.5% growth rate over the last five years, and it’s leading the employment recovery in Queensland since the COVID-19 outbreak.
On the Gold Coast, I landed my dream job, but it all started when I graduated in journalism back in Brazil. On the last day of my course, during the final presentation before receiving my degree, a former ESPN TV reporter asked me about my plans post-graduation. My answer was like everybody else: get a job. As he found my tone of voice not that confident about my next step, he mentioned that a friend was lecturing on an excellent course on the Gold Coast. That notion stuck in my mind for a few months until I decided to take his advice and enrol in that Screen and Media course.
To put it simply, these days networking is a necessity. Professional networks are windows of chances that can open both business and job opportunities. Networking helps you gain industry insights, along with introductions that potentially lead to better referrals, career advancement and business opportunities. Apart from creating a connection with industry experts, networking also provides a valuable source of new perspectives and ideas to advance your professional development.
Success in your career is largely attributed to the pool of information or ideas you have garnered from various people, so never underestimate the importance of meeting people who share similar interests. Ask the right questions and you’ll not only gain insights into how they progressed up their career ladder, but you’ll walk away inspired with a thirst to work harder and dream bigger.
With an easy-going lifestyle, an accepting multicultural community and an abundance of attractions, the Gold Coast is a fantastic place to live and study. Growing up on the Gold Coast I’ve experienced the amazing qualities the city has to offer and that’s why I feel honoured to be able to introduce this part of the world to international students when they choose to study here. We first started accommodating international students as a homestay family years ago and I feel incredibly lucky to have befriended so many students from around the world while sharing some wonderful experiences with them. Everything from high ropes adventure courses to our beautiful beaches, a visit to the local markets, or just taking in the beautiful scenery – the Gold Coast has so much to offer.
I’ve only been living on the Gold Coast since May 2019, however it didn’t take long for me to realise that this dynamic city is a wonderful place for surfing, boating, cycling and so many other outdoor sports.
As an amateur running enthusiast, I have to say that Gold Coast is also a paradise for runners. Here’s my roadmap to some wonderful jogging experiences this city has to offer.
