Triman Kaur, a Master of Business Analytics student at UWA, spent 100 hours through semester 1 supporting Work, Health and Safety (WHS) initiatives with aged care provider Bethanie through a McCusker Centre for Citizenship (the Centre) internship.
Working with the Emergency Management and WHS team, Triman’s commitment to make a positive impact was immediately evident and she was offered a casual role to continue her work as a Bethanie employee, as well as being nominated for the Centre’s Outstanding Intern Award by her supervisor.
“Triman made an exceptional contribution through her internship, demonstrating professionalism, critical thinking and a strong sense of social responsibility,” said Blake Ulyatt, Emergency Management Consultant at Bethanie.
“Her primary role was to support the review and update of organisational WHS policies and procedures, and she brought to it a level of maturity and capability beyond expectations, working on a series of high-impact projects that would normally be reserved for experience staff,” Mr Ulyatt said.
“Due to the outstanding quality of her work and collaborative approach, Triman was offered casual employment with Bethanie; the immediate value she delivered as part of the team earned the confidence of the organisation very quickly.”
Triman said that as an international student, the internship had provided an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the community in the local context, and a valuable introduction to working in Australia.
“This was my first time working in a professional Australian workplace, so I had to get used to the culture, systems, and expectations. The work required strong attention to detail, so I had to be extra careful and precise - it definitely pushed me to stay focused and take my responsibilities seriously,” she said.
“The internship helped me think more deeply about safety from the residents' perspective. Many older people in aged care deal with falls, confusion, or limited mobility, and they rely heavily on staff for their safety. I realised how crucial it is for safety procedures to be clear, up-to-date, and easy for staff to follow.
“The most rewarding aspect of the experience was seeing that my work had real impact, knowing it contributed to safer aged care environments for residents and staff.
“It was highlight being trusted to work on actual policies and risk assessments and knowing my work would be used. Being offered a casual role during the internship also meant a lot, and showed my efforts were genuinely valued.”
For Triman, the internship’s unique opportunities for professional and personal development came via an overwhelmingly positive environment at Bethanie and the supportive structure of the internship program.
“The Team at Bethanie were some of the kindest and most welcoming people I’ve met; they made me feel comfortable from day one, supported me throughout, and created such a positive and encouraging space to learn in,” she said.
“I’m really grateful that the McCusker Centre creates opportunities like this. It was a chance to grow in my confidence, learn from a wonderful team of professionals, and understand how my skills can be applied to benefit the community.”