Kristine's Corporate Career Academy Impact Story

Aiducation International through its partnership with the Swiss Re Foundation successfully implemented an online corporate career Academy for our talents in the Philippines between 9th January to 13th February 2022. The academy had 30 of our talents as participants supported by Swiss Re Managers and local experts. The participants gained insights into the job opportunities within the corporate world, networked with companies and gained skills in job searching, CV writing and interview techniques.

Here is an impact story from Kristine Saycon who was one of the participants, on how the skills gained from the academy have impacted her personal and professional journey... 

If I were to describe Aiducation academies with only one adjective, the answer would definitely be “life-changing”. This word has been used in several evaluation forms and for some, it may seem like an exaggerated description of a few days spent together. However, for me, the academies that I have attended truly brought transformative changes in my life.

My motivation to participate in the Corporate Career Academy
The pre-pandemic onsite academies usually lasted for a week, and those 2 weeks that I spent for Swiss Re Start-Up Academy and SPMA were some of the most memorable and impactful weeks of my life. I gained new friends, mentors, skills, and words of encouragement. Those memories are still very vivid in my mind. My passion for finance and project management intensified as well. As a huge fan of academies, I immediately signed up for the Swiss Re Corporate Career Academy which was this time organized virtually(e-CCA) in January 2022.

e-CCA graduation picture

I got connected with my very caring mentor, Ate Esther, who helped me understand myself more and motivated me to pursue the career path that I wanted. We also went through my career journey plan and CV together, and her tips were extremely useful for my internship applications. Although we were a bit sad because the pandemic restrictions hindered us from meeting onsite, the academy was still very impactful. My other main motivation for joining e-CCA was to prepare myself for my required internship in the summer of 2022.

During the 1-on-1 online session with my mentor Esther

How the academy prepared Kristine for an internship at the P&G
Although chances were slim, I wanted to join the multinational company, Procter & Gamble. P&G has been my dream company ever since I entered Ateneo. I was fascinated by the passion and the stories of the managers that I talked with in a career booth when I was a freshman. As a growth-minded person whose main personal mission is to help others, I was very much attracted to the company’s force for good and force for growth thrusts. The idea of having an impact on millions of people in the Philippines and worldwide through P&G’s products ignited my spirit, which made me set my mind to this goal for years.

However, one of my biggest worries was that there were thousands of students who applied for the internship and the acceptance rate was too low. Knowing this, I gave my all for the preparations and I maximized my participation in the e-CCA. Among the activities that we had, the most significant to me was the preparation for interviews. For this, the mentors introduced the STAR method as a way of answering questions. We also held mock interviews with our co-participants wherein we received meaningful feedback and advice. From these activities, I learned the importance of self-awareness and confidence in interviews.

After several engagements and three interviews, I finally got in! A lot of people say that only the best and the brightest students get to enter this company. This statement makes me proud and humble at the same time. Of course, I am extremely grateful for my answered prayer. However, it also brought a real deal of pressure on me. I wanted to do my best and maximize my learning in this internship.
 

Roles and accomplishments as an intern at P&G Company
As a Finance & Accounting Intern who was assigned to the Quality Management Team, my main project was digitizing the wicked problems in the AMA region. This regional role involved a lot of project management, process improvement, and automation. At first, I did not know anything about the technical tools that I would be using for my projects. Instead of looking at it negatively, I considered it as a huge opportunity to learn and grow. With this story, I realized that the power of YET has always been emphasized both in e-CCA and my internship.

Pictures at the P&G offices with the executive

During those three months, some of my classmates who worked in other companies expressed boredom with what they were doing because most of their activities were repetitive, and they felt underutilized. However, it was different for me. Each day was energizing. I learned new things every day, be it technical, professional, social, or personal. As someone who embodies a love for learning, being in a company that teaches me new things every day delighted me. I also had the opportunity to train managers, interns, and new hires for the Continuous Improvement and Innovation projects of the company. On top of that, I am also very much interested in international business, so I really enjoyed my meetings with some colleagues from abroad.

P&G Internship Graduation pictures

Overall, it was an experience full of growth, fun, and meaningful relationships. I finished my internship with strong results and recognition from our organization. After my final presentation wherein, I presented my whole P&G internship journey including the impact of my projects, I was offered a full-time position as a Finance & Accounting Manager that I can enjoy once I graduate next year. The journey was extremely challenging, but I was able to make my 4-year dream come true with the help and support of many people, including my family, friends, mentors, managers, and benefactors.

Thank you to Aiducation, academy partners and mentors
From the academies that I have attended, I remember one of my mentors saying, “Whatever you do, keep it your greatest passion.” As I pursue my professional career in the future years, I will see to it to keep these learnings, grit, and growth mindset with me and hopefully, find my way to pay the goodness forward as a form of gratitude for everyone’s support that allowed me to come this far.

Written by Kristine Mae Saycon, AiduTalent from the Philippines