The first ever recipient of the Barrovian Alumni Internship has returned from Hong Kong urging his peers to take advantage of ‘an opportunity of a lifetime’.
Oliver Mealin, 20, spent three months working at Strix’s Hong Kong office, gaining valuable skills and experience in human resources and finance after working across several key projects.
Manx-born Oliver is about to embark on his third year of studying International Business at the University of Kent. The internship saw him work alongside Strix’s top Senior Business Analyst, Catherine Tam.
‘It was an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life,’ said Oliver, who attended both The Buchan School and King William’s College and studied the International Baccalaureate.
‘I have worked on and contributed to various projects, both within teams and on my own. These projects have been presented to Strix and are used within the company today. I have been a part of international conference calls between Strix employees and external parties and even had the opportunity to be involved and experience a company floatation on the London Stock Market. Coupled with visiting the Strix factory in China, it has allowed me to obtain a much wider perspective of how an international company operates.
‘Everything I did contributed to a truly captivating working environment where Strix values its interns and entrusts them with important tasks which contribute to the running of the company, as opposed to simply creating work to keep an intern busy.’
The internship also provided Oliver with the opportunity to travel and sample life in the Far East. He said: ‘I have hiked up mountains next to skyscrapers, visited historic temples and monuments, and been able to explore other south-east Asian countries over a weekend break. I sampled and enjoyed a huge variety of foods and made new friends and lifelong contacts from all over the world, including Hong Kong, China and America.’
Oliver added: ‘The staff of Strix in Hong Kong, especially Catherine, welcomed me, encouraged me and enabled me to learn about and take part in the work of a renowned international company – thank you for a truly wonderful experience.
‘I also want to thank King William’s College for helping organise an incredible internship and I am happy to know they will be continuing to offer this opportunity for years to come so others may benefit and enjoy what I have. I’d encourage all OKW under the age of 25 to seriously consider applying for the 2018 Internship. Not only will you have the chance to benefit in the same way I have, but you can look back in years to come and realise that this really was an opportunity not to be missed.’
Strix is at the forefront of the development, manufacture and sales of safety control systems for small domestic appliances and filtration systems for filter kettles, fridge jugs and chilled water units. Headquartered in the Isle of Man, Strix has offices across the United Kingdom, China and Hong Kong, employing more than 850 people worldwide.
Pauline McGee, Director of Group HR at Strix, said: ‘Oliver was a fine ambassador for both King William’s College and the Isle of Man. We look forward to continuing to work with the College to develop the internship in the years to come.’
Kara Hughes-Jones, Head of External Relations for King William’s College and The Buchan School, said: ‘This new internship provided Oliver with a wonderful opportunity to gain valuable experience, not just benefitting his future career prospects, but his personal development. It’s an initiative that supports the breadth and depth of the International Baccalaureate, which all sixth-form students at King William’s College study, and will provide future alumni with the opportunity to further explore their career path.’
The Barrovian Internship is available to alumni aged 18-25. It is awarded on an annual basis, with applicants going through an interview process. Applications for the 2018 internship are now open – for full details visit: https://www.kwc.im/alumni/internship-scheme
Photo - Barrovian intern Oliver Mealin (right) pictured with fellow interns at Strix, Eddie D'Amore from the US (left) and Owen Leung from Hong Kong, and Strix Senior Business Analyst Catherine Tam.
