Editor’s Note: This article, about a collaboration between the College of Business and Global Learning, originally appeared on FIU BizNews. To view the original article and full photo gallery, click here.
By Lisa Gaye-Shakespeare
It’s one thing for FIU students to learn about globalization and the job search in a classroom. It’s another for them to participate in a live discussion on the topic from Miami with peers in Lima and Buenos Aires.
In the newly-built Parkview Hall’s technologically advanced multipurpose room, equipped with four plasma screen TVs and a state-of-the-art media system, FIU students connected with business students from Universidad ESAN (ESAN) in Lima, Peru and Universidad Argentina De La Empresa (UADE) in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a virtual intercultural tri-country videochat. It was the first time students in three different international locations had the opportunity to connect for a live conversation at Parkview.
Hosted by the Office of International Affairs & Projects in the College of Business and the Office of Global Learning on April 15th, the videochat linked students via webcam and the video-conferencing software program Adobe Connect. The discussion kicked off with students from each school introducing themselves and sharing information about their campus and programs. Students from all three universities then engaged in a dialogue on the topic of globalization and global citizenship trends and their impact in the current labor market.
The discussion, led by Eric Feldman, FIU’s Global Learning Coordinator for the first hour, delved into labor market trends in Miami compared to Lima and Buenos Aires. Professor Louis Melbourne from the College of Business’ Department of Management and International Business moderated the second half of the discussion, with students sharing their experiences on the hiring process, resume writing, and how companies in each country assessed future employees.
The key to career success: build your experiences in college.
Students learned that in the ever-growing international economy and global market, no matter where you live, jobs are not easy to obtain. In order to be successful in any labor market, it’s important to have higher education, internship experience, bi-lingual proficiency and study abroad experience, all of which give students a competitive edge.
“Having learned this, I’ve also realized the importance of volunteer work and other things of that nature,” said FIU freshman Victoria Rodriguez, who participated in the videochat. “Internships, for example, are an excellent way to get exposure in a company or field.”
Even if you are not paid, she said, “someone will surely notice your hard work and offer a paid position at a later time. Student jobs also serve the same purpose. I will be on the lookout for opportunities such as these to give myself a competitive edge in the labor market.”
The Office of International Affairs & Projects and Global Learning plan to host another virtual intercultural videochat in the upcoming Fall 2015 semester.