AUT University and Disney helping students live out dreams
Living and working in the USA for one of the largest companies in the world is something many AUT students dream about during their lectures, but these dreams can be turned into a reality thanks to the Disney International Work Experience Program.
The Program allows AUT graduates the chance to live and work in Orlando, Florida at the world-renowned Walt Disney World for periods of five months to one year. Participants will work in a variety of paid roles from a character performer to retail assistant. During this time participants are able to learn from their experiences working for a company that is a trend setter in the entertainment and hospitality industries. As part of the Program participants have access to a variety of educational resources designed to help them get the most out of their experience.
Jimmy Hills, an AUT Bachelor of Communications graduate in 2012, decided to take part after deciding that he needed a change of scenery. “I wanted to do some travelling while I was still young enough to enjoy it. I had some friends already on the Program and they recommended it and said I would love it, so I went to a presentation evening with the Disney representatives and signed up the next day.”
Jimmy is now seven months into his year-long placement as a lifeguard working at Blizzard Beach Water Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Coronado Springs. “One of the great perks about my role as a lifeguard is the fact that my day goes so much faster because I get to meet people from all over the world and share experiences.”
The Program attracts young people from over 20 countries by giving them the chance of a lifetime working for Disney and living in the USA. Jimmy says, “I have made some incredible friends from all over the world. The Disney International Work Experience Program gives people from all walks of life from all over the world the chance to come and have a unique working experience.”
As well as the chance to live and work for up to one year in the USA, participants from New Zealand are also allowed an extra 30 days to travel the USA to spend their hard earned cash. Participants may also take short breaks away from work to travel to places close by. Jimmy is making the most of all of the nearby experiences “I have literally just come back from New Orleans. I have been to Las Vegas and a few beaches in Tampa, Florida. At the end of my placement I plan to go and see a lot of the people I’ve met on the Program in their hometown.”
Jimmy encourages students who are thinking about it to just do it. “I would 100 percent encourage people to do the Program. You will literally meet people from all over the world, and make some incredible contacts and friends. I originally was only supposed to be here for six months but I had to extend my stay because I was having such a fantastic experience. He adds, “Having a Fortune 500 company on my CV is going to make me stand out when I am applying for jobs when I return, so don’t worry about missing out on a job because of this experience.”
Applications for the Disney International Work Experience Program will take place on Saturday 15 March from 10.00am-6.00pm at Level 7, Sir Paul Reeves Building, AUT City Campus, 55 Wellesley Street East, Auckland CBD