Education First (Cultural Tours)

Placement organization

Name of organization: Education First (Cultural Tours)
Town/city: Sydney
Country: Australië
Website: http://www.eftours.com/

Name of student: Victor Koopmans

Specialist area: MTT
Placement period: 2015-2016

Information about placement organization

Type of organization: Tour operator
Organization’s activities: Education First in Sydney provides tours to high-school students in the United States and Canada. The students book a tour via their teacher and they can travel on itineraries to Australia, New-Zealand and Fiji to be educated in these places and learn more about the culture and its surroundings.
Target group of the organization: Students from the US and Canada.
Company culture: You will have two supervisors, the regional- and area manager. They are both highly knowledgeable and probably two of the nicest people you will ever meet. You will get treated equally and as if you were a colleague.

Number of employees: 2 direct colleagues, 10 people in total in the office.
Dress code: formal
Did the organization meet the agreements you made beforehand? Yes, exceeded all expectations.

Information about your placement

In which department(s) are you working? Cultural/Educational Tours.
Brief description of your daily activities: Sending out updates to tour directors and function as a point of contact for them. Sending out updates to suppliers, negotiations, join inspections and meetings with suppliers. Complete the payment of invoices and general administration tasks (you do not have to worry about running out of work – in a good way).
Brief description of your company assignment: A competitor analysis.
Comment briefly on your supervision by the organization: You will closely work together with Alysson – your direct manager – and Kathrin. They are both highly knowledgeable, competent, professional, sociable women with a good sense of humour.

Requirements for students on placement

What kind of personal skills are required for this placement? Flexible, responsible, sociable and independent.
Additional company requirements for this placement? Knowledge about the usage of Excel and Word is a pro.
English: Advanced
Spanish:
French:
German:
Italian:
Other languages:

The trip

Mode of transport to reach your destination: Plane.

Accommodation

How did you arrange your accommodation? Individually.
How did you go to work every day? Public transport.

Visa / work permit / vaccinations

Do you need a visa? Yes, student or working holiday visa.
Do you need a work permit? No.
How did you arrange the necessary documents: Fill in form online at the website of the Australian government.
How much time did it take to arrange the necessary documents? One day to arrange, two weeks to have all the right paperback signed and well by the Australian government.
Did you need certain vaccinations? No
How long in advance? N/A

Language course

Did you take a language course before you started your placement? No
Would you recommend to have a language course prior to this placement? No.

The costs in euros

Travelling expenses (e.g. return ticket): € Approx. € 800,- / € 1000,-
Accommodation (monthly): € € 550,-
Local transport (monthly): € € 50,- to € 60,-
General costs of living (monthly): € € 150,- for groceries, other expenses depend on the person.
Costs of visa: € € 320,-
Costs of work permit: € N/A
What did the company pay for/to you? My flight was paid for. Furthermore I got to join a tour in New-Zealand and several tours throughout Sydney. If you have to use any public transportation for work, you will get a refund as well.

Culture

How did you prepare for the country’s culture?
I didn’t. Traveled a couple of weeks in Australia before starting the internship, which gives you a good insight.

Australians are fairly friendly and polite in day-to-day life. No major differences.
Did the culture of the country influence your performance during the placement in any way? No

Future students on placement

Future students are free to contact me for further information: Yes
My e-mail address: 143937@edu.nhtv.nl

Other information

Recommendations on what to do and what not to do: I strongly recommend that you make sure that you have enough money before heading off to Sydney. The rent in Sydney is way more expensive than the rent in the Netherlands. For a decent room – shared with another person – you will pay approximately €120,-/€140,- per week.

Grocery shopping is about 1,5 time as expensive as in the Netherlands – and the same goes for going out to bars, restaurants etc.

And do not forget to bring stroopwafels for your co-workers.
Leisure possibilities in the city/surroundings of where the placement took place: Countless. That is the great thing about Sydney, you will never get bored. The city is always lively and filled with activities. The city is huge and always busy and its surroundings are stunningly beautiful (beaches, parks, wine valleys, mountains etc.).

Media

Youtube link Youtube placement video link