Just a couple of months out from graduating, international alumni Axel shares how his decade-long UNSW dream started – and why he’s so glad he could make it a career reality.
Axel Librata’s dream to study at UNSW Sydney began when he was just 11 years old.
While on holiday in Australia from Indonesia, his family toured universities around the country for his older brother, and UNSW Sydney left a strong impression on Axel.
“Out of all the universities, it seemed the best. I loved the campus and its energy. I continued researching options at high school, and UNSW Sydney still seemed to offer the best quality education,” he shares.
So, when Axel was offered a full International Scientia Coursework Scholarship to study a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the university in 2021, he was incredibly excited. The globally recognised and prestigious Scientia Scholarship is UNSW Sydney’s flagship scholarship for international students with high academic achievement and leadership skills – and supports the university’s mission of progressing equal opportunities for all.
“I knew the university’s expectations, so I worked hard to get in. But to get the scholarship was significant. I couldn’t believe it. It took the pressure off me and my family financially,” Axel shares.
He graduated in May 2024 and quickly secured a full time Price Analyst role with Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety in Sydney.
Growing up in Jakarta, going to university overseas was always on the cards for Axel.
“I knew it was where I could really understand the global working field and work out what I wanted to do with my career,” he explains.
Axel’s first year subjects at UNSW Sydney helped him do just that, exposing him to the different career pathways under the commerce umbrella. It was during this time he discovered his interest in business analytics and financial technology.
“I really enjoyed coding and found it so interesting to derive insights from raw data and use it to make informed business decisions. So I changed my major from Finance to Financial Technology and Business Analytics.”
His time at UNSW Sydney helped Axel define a career path and gave him practical, sought-after skills – while also making sure he knew how to take these skills into the workforce.
UNSW Sydney focuses on building a better world for everyone by providing world-leading education to students from around the world. Ranked #1 for graduate employment outcomes in Australia, it also offers targeted programs and initiatives that prepare students for success at work.
As well as learning invaluable skills – like coding and how to improve business processes – Axel had several practical work experience opportunities.
Visa restrictions can make it difficult for international students to secure internships. But UNSW Employability’s CDEV3000 Practice of Work course (also offered as a postgraduate course - CDEV6000 Partnered Work Project) puts students like Axel at the heart of real-life projects working with industry partners.
During the course, Axel worked with students from engineering, data science and computer science programs for Optiver, a global market maker. They developed a statistical model that predicts stock market movements.
“The course gave me direct work experience related to the area I want to work in. I learned a lot about the different types of models and what to use in certain situations. Working with people from different backgrounds also helped develop my communication and collaboration skills, giving me the ability to share insights and solutions more effectively,” Axel says.
“CDEV3000 gave me direct work experience related to the area I want to work in. I learned a lot about the different types of models and what to use in certain situations. Working with people from different backgrounds also helped develop my communication and collaboration skills.”
Axel Librata,
Bachelor of Commerce
Axel continued to build on these skills during UNSW Employability’s Professional Development Program, developed specifically for international students.
Across two phases, the program teaches students about Australian workplace culture and employer expectations, and provides job seeking tips and volunteer work experience opportunities hosted by UNSW Sydney supervisors.
“During the project, I had to reach out to different students to learn about their experience, then build recommendations to improve student experience across the campus. The skills I gained translate really well in my workplace, allowing me to adapt my communication style, speak confidently and ask the right questions,” shares Axel.
To prepare for the job seeking process, Axel also enrolled in UNSW Sydney Business School’s Career Accelerator Essentials module, which helped him build his CV and prepare for interviews.
A few months after graduation, Axel’s Australian dream continues as a Pricing Analyst at Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety. And he credits his success and confidence to hard work – and his UNSW experience.
“Landing a full-time role at Wesfarmers is very significant for me. Your degree teaches you to think critically and approach problems differently. The additional courses, like Practice of Work and Career Accelerator, give you the technical and teamwork skills you need to succeed at work. They build your confidence and help you communicate effectively in different context with people from different backgrounds.”
While he’s not sure where his career will take him, for now Axel is focusing on developing his business acumen and his analytics knowledge.
“I want to take on different challenges in the areas that most interest me – data analytics and financial technology – as I continue to develop professionally.”
UNSW Sydney’s world-leading education and focus on work readiness can get you there. As an international student, you can access faculty-specific career initiatives, as well as curricular and co-curricular programs to build your confidence at work in Australia and around the world.
Find out more about Business School Career Accelerator: Essentials initiative and see how you can get ready for the world of work with UNSW Sydney Employability today.
This article was brought to you by UNSW Employability.