Deciding to move to a different country is a brave decision every international student has to make – leaving their professional careers back home and their family to journey on independently with a positive mindset that the Land Down Under is the perfect place to be to reach their full potential as a student.
However, recent circumstances turned the lives of international students not exactly how they’ve envision it to be but Dharshan Dhamodaran from India – a graduating international student at Victoria University’s Digital Media program is optimist about his future.
Resilience through tough time
Life has been teaching everyone to adapt just like Dharshan who was once a Social Media Manager but redundancy due to COVID-19 forced Dharshan to work as a tram cleaner for Yarra Trams.
“In the month of March due to the COVID-19 crisis I had lost my job, a job which I enjoyed doing and I really liked and which also paid me handsomely. Since then for a long time I was clueless as to what I’m going to do because I needed to earn money for my expenses. And one day I got a call from my organisation Spotless Group they were offering me a job which was for Yarra Trams – it was a sanitisation project.
At first, I was in a great dilemma whether or not I should take the job because it was entirely opposite to what I was doing before and it was no way related to what I was studying as well, but I took a chance and accepted the job. And I can say it’s by far the best job I have done so far, I have gotten to meet so many interesting individuals and I have made so many connections which I wouldn’t have been able to do if I had denied the job and I had made so many connections which I hadn’t in two years.
I have met with pilots, doctors and many other people who gave me great insights and great career advice. I then realised the job we do does not define us or decide how far we’re going to go in life. Every job is an opportunity to learn something new.”
Society imposed for people to think that you are far more better if you are a white-collar worker, that a blue-collar job is something to be ashamed of. But in reality – at the end of the day, it is not whether you are a white or blue-collar worker, everyone is out there doing their best to survive – to put food on the table and to support their selves at this tough time.
Dharshan shared that his 2 years in Melbourne was truly amazing – he experienced different sorts of work such as toilet cleaning, event host and as a dishwasher but he could only venture that the road to success is a long and difficult path to take.
“I want to take everything that will lead me to that [success]”
Next journey
Timing is certainly not a graduating student’s acquaintance at this tough time – only waiting for his graduation ceremony when COVID-19 hit.
“The experience as a tram cleaner taught me to be resilient and I gained self-confidence. Any job is an experience. Doesn’t mean that if I don’t get it now then I will be upset. I just have to work hard and stand on my goal”
“I never declined any job”
beyond international students 