Mumbai internship a massive confidence boost
Almost two years since he packed his bags and headed to Mumbai to take up an Foundation internship with global PR company Genesis BCW, we chat with public relations graduate Nick Davies about what he got out of the experience and what he's up to now.
Nick: "Working in a country and culture that is completely out of my comfort zone and boosted my confidence overall, and helped me not shy away from challenges"
Where are you living now and what are you doing?
I'm currently living in Wellington. I am an account executive at Acumen Republic, a full service communication agency, where I work across a range of communication specialties for a variety of clients.
How did the internship influence your career?
Working in a country and culture that is completely out of my comfort zone and boosted my confidence overall, and helped me not shy away from challenges. This is both in a personal context, but also a professional one. Also being able to work in two completely different agency environments so early in my career has helped me figure out quickly what my professional interests are, and what I wish to pursue further.
Do you plan on going back to India?
I fully plan to return one day, but my focus is set on a few other Asia destinations first. Also COVID-19 continues to be a barrier.
India is a huge country, and it feels strange to say I've visited there after only seeing Mumbai. From talking to locals, it sounds like every state offers a different cultural experience - from food, to customs, to people. To fully experience what India is, there is no question I'll need to make a return trip, or several.
How applicable was what you learnt at Genesis BCW to the New Zealand work environment?
While practicing public relations in India and New Zealand are different on a variety of levels, I developed several soft skills that have benefited my working life in New Zealand. This is both my cultural capabilities, my personal confidence, and ability to learn new ideas and concepts quickly.
Nick: "...the best aspect of my internship was building a whole new lifestyle for myself in a new culture."
What would you say was the most valuable aspect of the internship?
Outside of getting to know an incredible range of people, the best aspect of my internship was building a whole new lifestyle for myself in a new culture. Whether it be learning how to commute on incredibly crowded trains, figuring out how to work in an entirely different media environment, or trying to understand how to manage a healthy Mumbaiker diet, all of these decisions were incredibly fun to make. Working it all out mostly by myself really grew my independence and reaffirmed my life goal to continue pursuing work overseas.
Why do you think internships such as the one you went on are valuable for young New Zealanders?
I believe the best way to experience and learn a culture is through working in one. And for young New Zealanders, there is no region more important to understand than Asia. The experiences available to young people are incredible, and for me, having the experience of my Indian internship puts me well above others to take advantage of these opportunities.
Asia will only become more relevant to New Zealand into the future, and it is important we have the insights and knowledge to thrive in that future.
