Testimonials

“I am a medical doctor and a PhD student at the ANU who has a passion for motivational speaking and leadership. I attended Sophia Demetriade’s workshop on “How to leverage your Networks for Success” and I was motivated and inspired by session that she ran. During the workshop I realised the value of the extensive social networks that I have already developed for myself through my international journey of research and education. Since the workshop I have already been utilizing the information I learned. I was particularly impressed by Sophia’s honest and sincere approach in sharing some of the gems of wisdom she has picked up through her own journey. The session was very interactive, educational and effective. Thanks Sophia!” Bishan Rajapakse (http://about.me/bishan.rajapakse)

“I met Sophia through studies at UTS. She attended my AIESEC events as a supporter & met with our ambisious student group. Sophia also came to my FREE Hugs event. Sophia contributed with ‘networking for success’ workshops as part of our AIESEC Initiate the Tour at ANU, Macquarie Uni and UTS. The students were able to take valuable lessons from the workshop and have provided great feedback. I introduced Sophia to further AIESEC members and we are now collaborating on projects. Sophia is reliable and efficient, and she is also very supportive towards the student community. The students are very comfortable communicating with Sophia because she takes time to listen.   Aaron

“I met with Sophia through at AIESEC workshop she held in April and May 2012. I helped organise the event and also attended the workshop. I learn a lot at the workshop in terms of behaviours and mindsets required to be able to realise my dreams. The networking presentation was very fun and unfortunately I missed some of it, but luckily we filmed it to share with our student community. With personal interests in leadership, I find Sophia a great connection to share leadership ideas of the 21st century with. Clement

“I’m doing an internship program with Dream Internship to find the career I desire in Australia. Sophia and my mentors have helped me reach many of my goals. I have attended many workshops to reach my ambitious goals. The goal setting workshop was particularly helpful for me, and the books Sophia recommended me to read. I am diligent and have completed all my tasks which is a requirement to continue the mentoring towards an internship. I have weekly phone calls with mentors who support me and provide feedback. Its great to have someone other than my family care about my future. My online profile has increased considerably and I have more interviews set up. I am connected to more groups and communities that I need to be part of now, and I did not think of that until I started my internship and mentoring program. Feheem

“I met with Sophia in Melbourne in February 2012. She has a very firm handshake. We commenced a mentoring program a few weeks later. I never thought about all the things I had to do to improve my profile searching for jobs. I have previously sent out almost 100 job applications and only got a few interviews out of it. Then I realised that this way is not the best to get a job. The mentoring course helped me realise what I had to do, how to do it, and the actually getting it done. I am getting continuously closer to my goals and learning so much on the way there. This has been a different experience for me and I am not going to give up until I reach all my goals now that I know clearly what they are. Hari

“I have seen Sophia speak about networking and leadership in Canberra and Sydney. Sophia is very personable and its refreshing to meet a speaker who actually tell their own story and is open about the mistakes they have made and what they have learnt from it. Sophia has turned every life experience into a learning experience and I do my best to do that too. We’re all human after all and we should be forgiven for the mistakes we make so we can move forward and improve. I also feel more confident about approaching people, successful people are very approachable and helpful”. Chuck

I organise events for AIESEC ANU and welcomed Sophia as a speaker in 2012. She was so positive and friendly. Sophia stayed after her talk to meet with some of the students and she spent time connecting with us which was nice. I will be sure to stay in Sophias’ network. She works very hard to meet people, keep in touch with them and help people with referrals. I didn’t think of referrals and word of mouth this way till after the Networking workshop. Roger

“I loved the networking workshops so much that I want to be part of it. After the workshop I joined Dream Internship to be part of their community. I think Sophias’ ideas about education and creativity are very interesting. It’s hard to teach people soft-skills and communication and how to behave and think. It’s important for students these days to have versatile skills. In her workshop Sophia mentioned Ken Robinson, who I like too. They both talk about student skills such as entrepreneurialism, global and cultural knowledge, technological literacy and ability to manage complex organisations. I want to learn and do all of this, and I want to do it together with Dream Internship and Sophia.” Sally

“I came over to Australia from Europe in 2011 and attended some workshops with Dream Internship to get more connected in Australia. A few months later I signed up for an internship in media. I have met so many fun people in Australia and what I learnt in the workshops helped me communicate with them. We do things differently in Europe and it was great to talk to one of my mentors about it to better understand what people meant in the workplace. even though I loved my placement there were days where I got really confuses about what I was doing or what I was supposed to do. My mentors helped me wrap my head around that. I also have a great online profile now which makes me feel good about my experiences and education. Emma

“I didn’t think an internship was right for me at first because I was looking for paid work. Then I realised what it was about and signed up for a dream internship. We created a role that didn’t exist around what I really wanted to do and what I was good at, and we also listed some things I could learn that I wasn’t so good at. This made it easier for me to find purpose in what I was doing. I didn’t think of applying for jobs that didn’t exist. After my internship I was not hired straight away but the company invited me back to do some contract fork with them because I had already undertaken some training with them. The work increased after that. Im very glad that I ended up participating in something rather than nothing – and then got something great out of it in the end! Laila

I did an internship in financial planning in Bondi Junction that Sophia & Erika put organised after I had gone through the required workshops to fix up my resume. I didn’t think an internship was for me because I only had 8 weeks in Australia. Sophia communicated with me online during my holidays at home and when I came to Australia I did the internship and then left again. It was great for my employer because he was not able to hire more staff and I didn’t want a job, I just wanted the experience. Im so happy Sophia customised my internship so we could work it out around my dates. My Supervisor Greg was really nice and I appreciate all the time and knowledge he shared with me.” Kurnia

“Sophia set me up to intern with an entrepreneur in Melbourne after I moved down there from Sydney. I have met so many business contact through my internship. We have applied for government grants, done international meetings, made a business plan and started a new company. It has been very challenging and also a lot of fun. I did not really know anyone that would give me an opportunity in Australia and I did not know how to ask. Sophia has really worked hard for  me to get me connected. Thanks! Alvar

“One word: Inspirational! Sophia Demetriades’ presentation left me energised, inspired and ready to make change.  Sophia’s engaging manner and her genuine enthusiasm for her subject had her audience utterly enraptured.  Her Behavioural focus was particularly valuable as few speakers touch on that area nearly as well as Sophia does.  Sophia had obviously gauged her audience superbly, with the many soon-to-be-graduates lapping up her advice on networking, communication and self-awareness. Absolutely fantastic! Do NOT miss an opportunity to participate in one of Sophia’s workshops.” Gabrielle

“It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a workshop like this. Back in school, it was easy to dream about the future, easy to have the desire to reach the greatest heights. For some reason, I lost sight of my future – while grappling with struggles in the present. Sophia and Brian allowed me to refocus and taught me to believe in my dreams again. They have taught me not just to dream, but to work at making it a reality. Common sense stuff – but a great reminder nonetheless.” Talitha

“I did an internship in engineering that was very challenging. The best part was that my supervisors and other people in the office were really helpful. They showed me how to do some things that I picked up quickly and they also welcomed my suggestions. People at my workplace also invited me to events outside of the internship times, so I was always busy doing stuff. They introduced me to different sides of Sydney than I experienced with the other students. I hope I can return one day and I will definitely keep in touch with everybody I’ve met.” Alex

“Interning in Australia has provided me with a new vision. I recall Sophia mentioning this during the internship orientation, and now that I have been here for 6 weeks I understand why. I really love the eclectic blend of nature and urbane landscapes. Sydney is an amazing city. I interned with a creative agency where I learnt a lot. They let me work on independent projects and some of my contributions were published. My colleagues were cool to hang out with and I would stay here if I wasn’t going back to finish my degree. I made a video diary that turned out really well and got published on the DIA website. Thanks!” Dough

“I’ve had such an amazing experience. Everything to the people, the city, the beautiful nature, the travelling, the education. I have learnt so many things while I had this fun experience. I won the photo competition and all my photo’s are available on the DIA Facebook and Flicker. Thats pretty cool. My internship was great! Everyone have been so nice to me and bought me so much. We did weekly courses with DIA where we had competitions and learnt how to market ourselves. I also made some very good friends on this trip and I hope to stay in touch with them forever.” Emma

“Great Barrier Reef was amazing! Australia is a such a beautiful place and I am so pleased I got to experience it with interns from Around the states. We went on cool trips together and really made the most of our time here. Luckily, my internship supervisor and coordinator told us about some fun places that only locals know about and so I got to experience some extraordinary things. I have learned so much over here and I am so happy my parents let me go all this way. Holly

“I feel like I have gained a skill that I can use in the future as well as allowing me to be more marketable.  I have also improved my communication skills over the course of this internship.  Speaking with clients regularly via telephone and email along with meeting with them has helped me to bring my communications skills to a better level.  Although my placement was not exactly as I anticipated coming to Australia, I do feel that I have taken the most out of the situation and experienced this country to a good potential.” Katie

“My placement with an architect in Bondi was just perfect for me. I learned to use some new software, and I also contributed in software I already knew how to use. Russell let me be part of his work and included my feedback, we really got a long and worked well together. Sydney also has some amazing architecture in addition to the Opera House, which was extraordinary. The Sydney Harbour is just so beautiful and well laid out. The rest of Australia is of course also extremely beautiful. I have learnt so much in such a short time and I can’t wait to go home and apply some of it. This was a great education program. Thank you!” Keli

“I did an internship in physiotherapy and I attended two different clinics owned by the same company. That was great because I got to experience both the city and the outer suburbs of Sydney. A few days i ran home from my placement back to Bondi Junction, it took more than 1 hour but it was so amazing. Sophia also organised a run across the Harbour Bridge. I loved my internship and I also loved my travels. The student group went on a few trips together and we got to see some of Australia. . I’ve made many fun friends here and I hope we will stay in touch when we return home, I’ve already scheduled a time to catch up for a tim tam slam.” Lauren

“I was already in Sydney studying when I heard about the internships. I had an interview with a few companies and decided to stay with Rhiannon who is a life coach. It was great to intern with her and I learnt a lot from her experiences. I’ve had such a fun time and travelled as much as possible. Australia is beautiful and so is its culture and people. We went to some aboriginal events which were fantastic! Thank you so much for a fun time. I don’t think I could have made a better decision than to stay for an internship after my studies and maximise my time in Australia!” Marissa

“I pushed myself really  hard in my internship. I interned with a coach and also with Sophia at DIA. I published an article about mental health which was published on the DIA website. I spent a lot of time on it and learnt how to research and write. Sophia kept telling me to edit it and it was so tedious, but now I know how to do it. It will be useful when I go on to do my masters in research. GBR OMG that was amazing! I went Diving! I’m also in the DIA video that Erika and Dough made and thats a super cool memory to cherish. I’m so glad I got to do this experience of a lifetime! Sharifa

“I’m so happy I came to Australia. I did an internship in social services and got to experience what its like in the jails in Australia. I worked with children of prisoners and that was an amazing experience. I got a long with people really well and made many friends. I travelled with some of the other students which was an amazing experience. My internship placement was an hour out of the city so I got to see some of the suburbs too!”  Zoe

“I did my internship a few weeks in the holidays and a few weeks during the semester which was really good for me because I spent the first few weeks getting to know everyone and everything and then I could continue part time for 2 days per week. It was challenging to do so much in one semester but I did really well and the internship actually helped with some of the university assignments. I also did some paid assignments which made me proud. My supervisor said my English was really good and that my technical skills were helpful and that made me happy. I hope I get to use my new skills at home. I am so grateful for this opportunity with Dream Internship.” Jen

“I am having a blast in Australia and will do another internship next holiday too. I will go to Korea now to do military service and hope to come back to Australia after that. My English has improved and I have met friends also from other countries such as America and Hungary which has been fun. I learnt some things in the company that I never heard of in university before so Im glad I got to test my skills. Australia has fantastic wildlife and I spent a lot of time outside in the fresh air. We also went on a trip and BBQ where we saw kangaroos with work which was so nice of my supervisor. He also took me out for lunch a few times and told some great stories about Australia and that was hilarious. Thank you so much for helping me Sophia”. Chen

“One of the most valuable things for me was the resume and cover letter workshop because I did not have the best resume beforehand. I am very shy and in Australia people are very open and talk a lot, so it was good for me to learn how we could work together even though we are different. People explained tasks to me and always got it done in time and with quality and my supervisor really liked that. My evaluation form had very high marks so that was a very nice feedback after the internship. I like to push myself and try new things, and Im very proud that it worked out so well.” Min Soo

“It was a lot of fun to do an internship. I made many new friends and tested my skills. I was happy and surprised to see how well I worked in an office setting. People were so helpful and explained things clearly so I could learn properly. It sure was different from university, and Im really glad I got to try both university and internship in Australia. I was actually offered a job shortly after my internship so now I will stay for longer and make even more friends. I also came with Sophia to a business course on the first day and that was very challenging and interesting. I am very proud of myself for making this decision on my own and my family also thinks my new CV looks great. 
” Park

“I have completed two accounting internship with Dream Internship and now I have a job in accounting. We set some goals and made a okay that we worked towards each week. I met with Sophia often and we have become good friends.” Pijush

“I did IT internship in Sydney and it was really good. My host company was both fun and educational. Sophie helped me fix up my profile and documents and now they look great. We did a lot of planning which took time but it was really good for me to have a plan. I will use this method in the future to make sure I follow things through. My friends thought I was crazy for coming to Australia, but I knew the world had more for me. Im glad I came here even though I miss home and my friends. I have some new friends in Australia.” Cheon

“My supervisors were extremely nice and helpful, and I have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of individuals both as clients and in our team. I feel that this internship was a learning experience, not only of a foreign company, but also of myself. With the help of this internship, I have learned a lot about myself and my future goals. I look forward to using the resources the company made available to me for my future employment.” Shanon

“I did an internship in IT and now I work in administration in the IT industry. I have work experience in Australia which I will be proud to use in Korea. We ha d a lot of fun at my internship and we even had a Christmas party in The Rocks. My parents are really proud of me for spending my holiday working on my English and my personal development.” Chi

“One major benefit of this internship was that it pushed me to learn new techniques to make my work look more professional. I learned things here that never had the time to learn at school and my work has improved from it. It was also really awesome to be able to see my work published on websites and print.“ Elyse

Great Barrier Reef was amazing! Australia is a such a beautiful place and I am so pleased I got to experience it with interns from Around the states. We went on cool trips together and really made the most of our time here. Luckily, my internship supervisor and coordinator told us about some fun places that only locals know about and so I got to experience some extraordinary things. I have learned so much over here and I am so happy my parents let me go all this way. Rebecca

“I feel like I have gained a skill that I can use in the future as well as allowing me to be more marketable.  I have also improved my communication skills over the course of this internship.  Speaking with clients regularly via telephone and email along with meeting with them has helped me to bring my communications skills to a better level.  Although my placement was not exactly as I anticipated coming to Australia, I do feel that I have taken the most out of the situation and experienced this country to a good potential.” Kacie

“I did two internships while I was living the dream in Sydney. I am so glad I did this internship. I had my own projects and set tasks during my internships. I was responsible for many things, and I learnt a lot from that. My supervisors were great and brought me a long to many fun things. Because I worked in events management in the music industry, I go to meet many artists and listen to a lot of great music – so I have definitely had a ball over here in Sydney. I wrote a newspaper article about my internship was was published in a student magazine  – I am so proud of myself for all the work I did and all the experiences I had in Australia.” Stefanie

“I have LOVED my internship this summer. I can’t believe how many different things I’ve gotten to do. I have learned a lot during my 5 weeks internship, and it has encouraged me that it is something I might want to do with the rest of my life.” Ariel

“My experience interning in Australia has been a rewarding experience thus far. I am working with their Always On Sale department and done some SEO (search engine optimization) work, copy writing, and marketing. The people here are very friendly and always happy to help me whenever I am in need of it. They also offered free tickets to West Side Story and a football game to JJ and I. I will be sad to leave this Friday, but I am glad I will be taking away good memories and a further understanding of what lies ahead in the future.” Mary Grace

“I’m so happy I came to Australia. I had never been away from home before and I thank my parents for letting me go so far. Australia has  o much to offer and I had fun every minute of my trip.””The internship was really interesting, I had never worked in marketing before and I learned so many new things I hope I get to use in the future. People in my office were so nice and we went out after work several times during the internship. I feel like we became friends, and that I have established a really good network here in Australia.”  Rachel

“My experience has been an amazing one. When I first came, about 5 weeks ago, I was welcomed with open arms. Overall, this internship has been a great learning experience. I had an amazing time with the new friends I made, while gaining a good understanding of how the company markets their business.” Virginia/ JJ

“I have learned a lot and become much more prepared to enter the workforce. In the beginning of my internship, everyone was very helpful, which made it easy for me to catch on to things quickly and adjust to my new settings. From the beginning, when we had meetings to generate ideas and discuss projects, I felt like I was really a part of the company and that the work that I was doing really mattered. As time went on, I became used to the routine and schedule and the types of projects that I would be asked to work on. This allowed me to become much more efficient in my writing, which I believe will be a very useful skill. It was great to see my writing published online! I feel that the time I have in Australia has been very well spent and that I have grown and learned a lot of new skills that will take me far in my career and in life. I’m very happy with the experiences I’ve had here.” Alex

“Overall, I am very thankful for this internship opportunity. I think now I have a better idea of what real world implications are involved my field of study and what jobs I do and don’t want in the future. I like how the workload is enough to keep me busy but not too overwhelming, however it has been challenging. I am glad I got to try out different things. Meeting these people has given me a better understanding of their jobs and will help me in making important future career decisions.” Maggie

“Working in Australia these past couple of weeks has definitely been a different experience. I have enjoyed being able to make connections in my field with people from the other side of the world, and value that kind of experience that might set me apart from other students.” Blaire

“Thank you so much for the amazing experience, I have enjoyed every moment of my time here!” Melissa

“The internship experience started out a little rough for me because, even though the tasks were interesting and related, I didn’t like my first job that much. After realizing this, talking to the supervisors, and switching jobs, the whole experience really turned around for me. I love my second job. The people there are so nice and friendly. I actually feel like I am doing useful work that I will be able to use in the future. Overall, I have enjoyed my experience as an intern in Australia.Thanks!” Christi