At the beginning of 2020, Rizuki Takahashi was a busy university student in her home city of Tokyo. "My favourite activity was the cheer dance*club," she says. "But then COVID came and everything changed."
The enforced break of the lockdowns gave her time to consider her future more carefully. She decided it was time for a change of direction. “I thought more about studying English. I admired people who could speak it well – well enough to work in a global company and have an international career,” she says.
Despite the challenges of a mild hearing impairment, and the fact that English hadn’t been her strongest subject in high school, she set her mind on studying in an English-speaking university. “I wanted to be a more global person,” she says. “That’s why I decided to study in Australia.”
After researching universities, she chose the Bachelor of Business degree at UTS. She says, “I’d heard that UTS has a practical program, with internships. And it’s a young university. That was attractive to me.”
First, she needed to brush up her Academic English skills and familiarise herself with Australian university life, so Rizuki began her studies at UTS College with a Diploma of Business before joining second year of Bachelor of Business at UTS. She says, “I chose business because I think it gives you so many career options.”
Rizuki joined the team of UTS College Ambassadors
A transformational part-time job
For Rizuki, taking on a student ambassador role was one of the most valuable experiences during her studies. Even though she was a former cheer dance performer, she felt the need to build her confidence. She says, “It was a part-time job, and it gave me a chance to communicate with so many people. And I learnt more about marketing, creating videos and things like that. It gave me the chance to speak more English, make more friends, and get to know more people. I became more active and engaged. When I started, I thought it would be so hard, but being a student ambassador gave me more confidence. I learnt that I could help people.”
Now back in Tokyo, Rizuki has landed a sought-after position as an Associate Brand Specialist at Amazon Japan. She reflects on her time at UTS College and UTS. For her, it was a period of immense personal growth. “I overcame many challenges in Australia. I learnt so much from the experience of being an international student,” she says.
Now back in Japan, Rizuki still draws on her UTS College experiences
She continues to draw from that experience. “In my career, when I face something challenging, I remember what I learnt from being a student ambassador – how I faced new things. It’s just as useful as the things I studied so hard at UTS College and UTS. I’m not afraid to try new things now. Diving into something new inspires me. I still want to build a global career.”
Communication means more than perfection
The courage to embrace new experiences is something Rizuki would like to nurture in others. “I feel sometimes that people in Japan are afraid to make a mistake,” she says. “I remember when I always tried to speak English without any mistakes. Now, I think communication is more important than trying to be perfect. That’s something I learnt from Australian people. They’re very chill and generous. They accept diversity.”
Rizuki encourages prospective international students to think that way. She says, “Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. You can always ask someone for help, like a teacher or your friends or your roommates. And on campus there is so much help and support. Even if you’re hard of hearing like me or have another disability, there are ways to overcome it and there is help for you. I know from experience that you can always make it if you try.”
*A form of dance based on cheerleading moves but with more emphasis on dance technique and fewer stunts and tumbles