myASEANinternship allowed me to live out my passion of flying high in the skies

At the recent myASEAN Market Day 2016, Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) YB Dato' Sri Mustapa Mohamed, also fondly known as Tok Pa, announced the three winners of the myASEAN Experience Essay contest. Lim Ben-Jie, Carmen Chong and Ditya Hasna Karima walked away as champion, first runner up and second runner up respectively. (You can read more about Carmen’s Cambodian adventure here and Ditya’s experience with GE Malaysia here.)

My name is Lim Ben-Jie and I recently graduated from Taylor’s University where I majored in Finance and Economics. I was attached to AirAsia in Kuala Lumpur and was rotated to Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. After completing my internship, I was absorbed into AirAsia where I currently work as an investor relations executive.

The myASEANinternship programme has significantly broadened my horizon within a short span of twelve weeks as I gained the chance to travel and work in four amazing capital cities in Southeast Asia, namely Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila. I got a glimpse into the lives of our fellow neighbours and discovered to my amazement, the diversity that this region holds.

Stepping into the world of aviation has always been my ambition hence, this internship programme organised by TalentCorp and MITI in partnership with AirAsia was a dream come true! When passing through various airports across ASEAN for work, I proudly carry my company’s name tag and lanyard along, knowing that AirAsia has its ‘home’ in each of the countries that I had travelled to. Not for a moment did I feel lost or alone as ‘AirAsia Allstars’ (as the staff aptly calls themselves) are always there to lend a helping hand when I am abroad.

Personally, I am humbled to have gained an opportunity to work in a homegrown ASEAN organisation that has played a pivotal role in uniting the people of ASEAN. The experience of working with a multinational team was an utmost privilege and a great lesson in cultural diversity as I became acquainted with colleagues from AirAsia’s associate companies across ASEAN, India, and Japan.

ASEAN as a whole has taught me that in the face of never-ending challenges, there are always opportunities to be unlocked and for success to be achieved.

Ultimately, what binds the people of ASEAN together is the desire to live harmoniously and to achieve prosperity together. Looking back at my experience as a myASEAN intern, I am truly grateful to be offered such a unique and valuable chance to jumpstart my lifelong career and to live my passion of flying high in the skies.

A collaboration between MITI and TalentCorp, the myASEANinternship programme provides a platform for top ASEAN students and fresh graduates to engage with leading employers in neighbouring ASEAN countries. Through essays like this, we see that students like Ben-Jie, Carmen and Ditya have benefitted from not only experiencing but also thinking ASEAN through the programme.

If you’re a student or a fresh graduate looking for an opportunity of a lifetime, apply now for a chance to be a myASEAN intern, where you’ll get the chance to work with top employers in various ASEAN locations!