We sat down recently with Ms Devanga Amaratunga who completed a four week internship with our Corporate Finance Division in the Moore Australia (VIC) Melbourne office. Devanga is a first year university student who wanted to start gaining some work experience in her chosen field of study.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a first year Bachelor of Commerce student at the University of Melbourne.
Why did you want an internship with Moore Australia?
Moore Australia offered me a unique opportunity allowing me to come into work two days a week, giving me enough flexibility to get some hands-on industry experience whilst still attending university, even during the busy exam season.
Tell us about the Corporate Finance team you were working with. Who are they and what do they do?
I spent most of my time working alongside Pranay Shewani and Tasman Perrin who are both Analysts and I was further supported by Colin Prasad (Director) and Benjamin Yeo (Director). Everyone made me feel very welcome and I couldn't have asked for a better team!
What sort of tasks did you do and what did you learn?
I initially started off with some financial modelling training, which provided me with useful basic knowledge that set me up for the tasks I would be doing later in my internship. This included polishing up a technical pitch deck for a client.
This taught me a lot about the presentation and professionalism of work that is put out by a reputable company, ensuring a clean and sophisticated look. I then went onto creating a few 'no-name teasers' aimed at marketing certain companies anonymously to interested parties.
Most recently I spent some time researching potential strategic buyers for a client. This was a particularly exciting task, as it was a reflection of the 'real-world' work I was doing even during my short time here at Moore!
Was this your first 'real' office job?
Apart from some minimal high school work experience, yes, this was my first time working in my chosen industry and gaining some practical experience. These last four weeks have given me some useful insight into workplace culture and what to expect in the future.
What surprised you about working in an office?
It was surprising to see the amount of collaborative work that occurs in an office, despite everyone having their own area to work. Colleagues would frequently have discussions amongst themselves, keeping the environment lively and friendly, even during busy work periods.
Was it hard to get up in the morning compared to Uni life?
Not at all. In fact, having this internship alongside university classes made all the theory I was learning that much more applicable during my time at Moore Australia. It was a great way to get a glimpse of the future and what I'm working towards after uni.
Where to from here?
As I continue to work through my degree, this internship has encouraged me to continue to seek out opportunities like this. Despite being seemingly intimidating at first, it truly was a worthwhile experience and I'm glad I followed through with it.
