Bachelor of Commerce in Management and Marketing
International Marketing Specialist, Jet Commerce, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
After high school in the USA, Clair and her parents, originally from Jilin, China, wanted to continue her studies abroad. New Zealand stood out as it offers a multicultural environment with a relaxing and balanced lifestyle.
"New Zealand is known for its pristine natural environment and its comfortable and relaxed pace of life. A balanced lifestyle is the most attractive part for me. People here have diverse cultural backgrounds, I was looking forward to finding my future direction and my true passion in an inclusive environment, so I finally chose to live in New Zealand."
UC’s history convinced her to pursue her education here, as throughout the decades, brilliant minds have studied here such as James Hight and Ernest Rutherford.
"The history of UC is definitely the most charming part for me. As the second oldest university in New Zealand, UC has produced outstanding people from all fields. These outstanding alumni have made a great difference in New Zealand's history, such as James Hight, who made a significant contribution to higher education, and John Key, former President of New Zealand, as well as outstanding athletes who contributed to New Zealand's national glory at the Olympics.
"After learning about the achievements of UC alumni, I looked forward to being a part of UC, to enjoy the rich resources and explore different possibilities here."
Before her journey started at UC, Clair studied at UC International College (UCIC), which offers pathways for international students to prepare for degree studies and helps them to adapt to university life.
"It can be regarded as one of the most meaningful times of my university life. It has provided a solid knowledge foundation for me. As an international student, using a second language in the classroom might be challenging at the beginning, and it is helpful for us adapting to the pace of study at university. Most importantly, I have gained time management skills that allow me to achieve a work-life balance today."
Her experience at the UC Business School equipped her with the knowledge and skills to face real work projects. The courses and teaching system encouraged her to go beyond and be curious about learning more.
"The teaching style at UC is the most impressive part. In the classroom, we were always encouraged to present our ideas from our perspective, which promoted the habit of independent thinking, but also helped us to benefit from this diverse view of education to the greatest extent possible.
"The content of the Management and Marketing courses gave me the core skills needed in the workplace. For example, the 100-level course provided me with a solid knowledge base, and the subsequent courses focused on the connection with the real business world. I benefited most from the digital marketing course (MKTG316), which covered everything from advertising visual design theory to practical Google AdWords analytics, which directly provided us with valuable and competitive job skills that I have benefited from to date."
The hands-on experience that the Bachelor of Commerce core programme offers gave her the expertise she needed to get her first job at Jet Commerce in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, where she has been working as an International Marketing Specialist ever since.
"My time at UC Business School was really beneficial because the hands-on learning courses provided me with numerous opportunities to put into practice my knowledge. Especially in the MKTG 300-level courses, where we were able to make marketing plans for companies in New Zealand, giving us core business skills and building a solid knowledge foundation for me to adapt to the dynamic business world.
"Now I am working at Jet Commerce, a cross border e-commerce company that provides one-stop e-commerce enabler services and solutions (mainly within the Asia market). There, I am responsible for the organisation of offline marketing exhibitions or marketing salons, and also the operation of Google Ads and social media accounts. I have gained a lot of practical experience and a deeper understanding of marketing work, and I really enjoy the process of challenging myself at work."
Her advice for newcomers is to treasure the time, enjoy this lovely environment, and build yourself up mentally and physically.
"In my perspective, university life could be ‘the best part of your life’. At UC, you are surrounded by all kinds of possibilities, and there is no limit; you are always encouraged and supported to explore and try anything that you are interested in."
