IT - Software Developer student Angela Pocklington went to Australia through Gateway Technical College’s Study Abroad offerings, and she came back having completed a project that will leave her with stronger skills as she enters the professional world.
"Australia was such an amazing trip. And one of the most exciting and difficult things was putting together an interview, as a group, to speak with someone from Komatsu, the large industrial equipment manufacturer. We got to talk with that person about the environmental safety aspects of his work and the way information technology plays into that, like cybersecurity elements," says Angela.
"We only had three weeks to put this interview together. Finding time during our busy itinerary took some time to figure out. And moving forward, if I ever come into a situation in the professional world where I need to put together a meeting with someone in another country, I now understand there aren’t just time differences you have to work with – but there are cultural differences too."
Whether halfway around the world or back here at Gateway, Angela truly enjoys her college experience.
"I love this program at Gateway. I wish it would go on forever. My instructors have been great. And the program is difficult because you’re learning so many things so quickly, but in the long run, I've learned so much," she says.
"Gateway was 100 percent the right choice for my education – no doubt in my mind. I feel very good about it. It's opened my eyes to a lot of different things. And my brain hurts because of how much I'm learning sometimes, but it’s been so great. The different things that Gateway has offered me to be a part of, like Study Abroad, have been really enlightening."
Angela continues to engage in the learning experience in and outside of the college. She recently traveled to an IT conference in Virginia Beach where industry experts spoke on many topics.
"We got to network with a lot of different people and businesses that could potentially become employers, which was great," says Angela.
"I also signed up to hopefully go on another Study Abroad program in Germany. The Study Abroad Program to Australia was enough to say that, 'If I'm going to do this, I’m going to do it again.
"Going to Germany, I’m looking forward to the different culture there because it will be good to see something that I'm not used to and that I don’t know much about. I also met some of the German students when they were on campus recently, and I look forward to meeting them again when we’re over in Europe."
From the classroom to conferences and even trips to new continents, Gateway continues to serve Angela's wants and needs in her college experience.