Dixa Fulara

Bachelor of Applied Management

India

All the experience Dixa Fulara gained during her time at OPAIC is paying off in her new job in the hospitality sector.

Dixa’s uncle, who moved to New Zealand more than a decade ago, encouraged her to come to the country for tertiary study after she graduated high school in New Delhi in 2018.

She didn’t know if the move would pan out and had taken entrance exams for universities in India in case it didn’t.

“The next thing I knew I was sitting in a plane to New Zealand and then I knew, okay it’s happening,” she says.

She selected OPAIC because she had friends who had graduated from here and enjoyed their time. She’s glad she made that decision and says all of the lecturers and support staff at the polytechnic helped her a lot.

As part of her study, she completed an internship with the polytechnic. She worked on reception while researching the way international students change their opinions and attitudes toward sustainability after coming to New Zealand.

She says she found that many international students didn’t know a lot about sustainability prior to arrival but quickly embraced sustainable practices such as recycling.

Since finishing her study in May, Dixa has landed a full-time job as Guest Service Attendant at Green Lane Suites - a small hotel catering mainly for corporate guests.

It’s her first time working in the hospitality sector and she’s enjoying the experience. Throughout her study she worked in part-time sales and marketing roles.

She says those part-time roles, as well as her internship at OPAIC, helped prepare her for her current jobs as all of the positions have been about making connections with people.

“Dealing with students at reception is similar to dealing with guests,” she says.

Dixa is grateful to OPAIC’s Employability Team who helped her secure her current position as well as her part-time roles as a student.

Read more about the Bachelor of Applied Management.