Source: University of Otago
The Auckland-born student says his time in Dunedin is setting him up for the career he wants.
Working for a bright future comes with sacrifice says a student with his eyes on the future.
Matt Spicer, who is currently completing his Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) and Bachelor of Arts (Sports Management), has spent the past few summers interning for Otago Cricket.
“I was fortunate enough to gain this internship in the first year of my degree. It has involved assisting with social media, strategies, working with their full-time team, working with overseas partners and strengthening relationships with sponsors. It has been a great chance to put into practise what I have been learning at University.”
The Auckland-born student says his time in Dunedin is setting him up for the career he wants.
“I said before I started my studies that I want to go into the marketing side of sport. I would like to get a role similar to my internship. I love sports and my studies allow me to combine it with marketing.”
Matt has surprised himself at how much he has grown over the past few years and is excited for the future ahead in his chosen industry.
“Growing up in Auckland I had a lot at my fingertips but I knew that moving to Otago would help me mature quickly and provide some different opportunities. I had heard that if you apply yourself you can find some awesome experiences here. I’ve always been quiet and introverted so I challenged myself in first year to really apply myself.”
“When I go back home for visits it’s awesome to show my family how much my confidence has grown and I can see that my hard work has paid off.”
Being dedicated to his future has come with its fair share of sacrifice, Matt says.
“My degree is taking three and a half years instead of four as I was a bit crazy and I’ve been taking eight papers each year. It’s also been a challenge choosing to stay in Dunedin over summer to do the internship instead of going home to Auckland.”
Despite the sacrifices, Matt says he has learnt how important it is to stand out and make yourself as employable as possible in a competitive industry.
“The kind of work I’m doing at Otago Cricket is exactly what I want to do, but it’s also kind of boosted my confidence to go and look for other opportunities too. Because I put in the hard work early I feel confident that if I wanted to pursue something else in either industry I could do that too.”
