Opening doors to the world: UWTSD students share once-in-a-lifetime opportunities abroad
From Barcelona to Tokyo, Florida to Beijing, students at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) are describing their overseas placements as “life-changing” and “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Through UWTSD’s International Mobility programme, students are discovering new cultures, developing valuable skills, and building memories that will stay with them long after graduation.
UWTSD’s programme is supported by Taith (Welsh Government) and Turing (UK Government) funding, helping to make international experiences accessible to all students, including those from widening participation backgrounds.
Luca Burgess, (pictured) studying Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change , recently completed his internship abroad with Sustainability Worldwide Center 2050 in Barcelona, supporting the development of the VSME Academia course to help small businesses create sustainability reports aligned with the European VSME Directive. Organised by Absolute Internships, his role included scriptwriting for course modules, sharpening his professional skills while contributing to a project with global impact.
He said: “Not only have I grown professionally, but also personally in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I can’t recommend the experience enough; it’s been an opportunity I will never forget.”
Dominik Grunski, an Applied Psychology, spent his summer with Agatha Inc. in Tokyo, gaining his first professional experience in human resources. Using skills from his Psychology studies, he worked on projects to improve employee engagement and even co-developed an initiative to bridge cultural gaps between the company’s French and Japanese branches. The internship was also organised by Absolute Internships.
He said: “This was my first professional experience, and it was both challenging and rewarding. Applying my academic knowledge in a real-world setting gave me confidence and insight into the kind of career I want to pursue.”
Nia Moores, studying Events and International Festival Management, had an unforgettable summer achieving her personal goal of working in every park at Walt Disney World, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in large-scale events and festival management.
“My favourite part so far is being able to meet so many amazing people from different walks of life. The Taith funding has helped me a lot as it has enabled me to have a better experience in Orlando and allowed me to travel to see different areas of the Sunshine State,” she said.
This summer’s group trips also left a lasting impact on Lydia Jenkins, studying for an MA in Graphic Design: Collaborative Dialogues, who travelled to Beijing Union University (BUU), China, and said: “The most valuable part of the experience for me was the opportunity to immerse myself fully in a new culture and form genuine connections, both with local people and fellow participants… This trip also helped clarify my direction for the future. It inspired me to enrol in a TEFL course with the goal of moving back to China to teach English. That decision alone speaks to how transformational the experience was.”
Other students have echoed these sentiments. Motorcycle Engineering student Joshua Todd, who volunteered in Fiji with Think Pacific, said: “If you do come, take the opportunity to ingrain yourself in local life – everyone’s so welcoming you’ll probably have to tell five people that you can’t come to lunch because your (village) mum has got lunch waiting for you!”
Amy Harris, an International Travel and Tourism Management student, described her group trip to Aspen, Colorado, as: “An extremely beneficial experience, giving us the chance to put into practice what we’d learned in the classroom and demonstrate it in world-class destinations.”
Amy’s experience helped her secure a 12-month graduate internship working in hotel reservations at the beautiful Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail, Colorado.
Caitlin Morgan, also studying International Travel and Tourism Management, who travelled to Vancouver, added: “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! I have grown so much as a person from this trip… There’s only so much you can do on paper, but it’s the practical stuff that matters.”
Kath Griffiths, International Regional Manager at UWTSD, said: “Our students say it best, these opportunities are transformative. Whether working in America, volunteering in Fiji, or studying in Europe or Asia, they return with new skills, fresh perspectives, and the confidence to succeed in their careers. Education shouldn’t be confined to the classroom. International Mobility is about opening doors to the world.”
For more information, visit: www.uwtsd.ac.uk or contact the International Mobility Team at GoGlobal@uwtsd.ac.uk.
Further Information
Rebecca Davies
Executive Press and Media Relations Officer
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: 07384 467071