Interview: New Grad experience of New Zealand
General Info
Sex: female
Age at time of emigration: 22
Length of stay: 2 years
Location (area of country): Wellington, New Zealand
Currently working in (country + discipline): Ireland – Physiotherapist
Professional Life
How long ago did you go to New Zealand?
3 years ago.
How did you find the process of preparing to work in New Zealand?
It took 3-4 months to organize the necessary paperwork.
Were you able to choose to work in an area that interested you?
Yes I found work in a private clinic and with a local rugby team.
Did you find it easy to integrate into your work environment?
Yes I found the locals to be very friendly and welcoming.
What differences, if any, did you find between working as a physiotherapist in Ireland and New Zealand?
1)I was taught a lot more manual techniques and was encouraged to be more independent when working in New Zealand, however advice and support was readily available.
2) )Healthcare system and insurance schemes,
What are the 3 best things about working in New Zealand?
1) Good exposure to a wide variety of sports teams.
2) Wide variety of private practices
3) Good exposure to different treatment approaches and techniques
What are the 3 worst things about working in New Zealand?
Far from home, little public holidays, lower salary.
How many holiday days did you have per year, and do you think you had sufficient free-time to travel during the year?
25 working days. Yes I had there was sufficient time to travel by having holidays for weeks at a time and going on weekend trips.
Could you work with sports teams while living there? If so, what sport, and at what level of team?
Yes there were opportunities to work with various rugby and hockey teams at underage and amateur levels.
On return to Ireland, do you feel New Zealand helped or hindered your search for a job, in a way that gaining experience in another country would not?
Yes it definitely helped as I got a lot of hands on experience in the clinics I worked in and on the sporting scene, this has definitely transferred over to my current job here in Ireland.
General Info
Sex: female
Age at time of emigration: 22
Length of stay: 2 years
Location (area of country): Wellington, New Zealand
Currently working in (country + discipline): Ireland – Physiotherapist
Professional Life
How long ago did you go to New Zealand?
3 years ago.
How did you find the process of preparing to work in New Zealand?
It took 3-4 months to organize the necessary paperwork.
Were you able to choose to work in an area that interested you?
Yes I found work in a private clinic and with a local rugby team.
Did you find it easy to integrate into your work environment?
Yes I found the locals to be very friendly and welcoming.
What differences, if any, did you find between working as a physiotherapist in Ireland and New Zealand?
1)I was taught a lot more manual techniques and was encouraged to be more independent when working in New Zealand, however advice and support was readily available.
2) )Healthcare system and insurance schemes,
What are the 3 best things about working in New Zealand?
1) Good exposure to a wide variety of sports teams.
2) Wide variety of private practices
3) Good exposure to different treatment approaches and techniques
What are the 3 worst things about working in New Zealand?
Far from home, little public holidays, lower salary.
How many holiday days did you have per year, and do you think you had sufficient free-time to travel during the year?
25 working days. Yes I had there was sufficient time to travel by having holidays for weeks at a time and going on weekend trips.
Could you work with sports teams while living there? If so, what sport, and at what level of team?
Yes there were opportunities to work with various rugby and hockey teams at underage and amateur levels.
On return to Ireland, do you feel New Zealand helped or hindered your search for a job, in a way that gaining experience in another country would not?
Yes it definitely helped as I got a lot of hands on experience in the clinics I worked in and on the sporting scene, this has definitely transferred over to my current job here in Ireland.
Personal Life
What part of the country did you live in?
Wellington, the capital on the north island.
How would you describe the weather in comparison to Ireland?
Similar winter climate to Ireland although summer is warmer and drier.
Would you recommend going over with friends or by yourself? Why?
I would recommend going over with friends. I went with a group of 7 physiotherapists from my class and found it much easier to settle in.
What did you make of New Zealand’s culture when you first arrived?
.Very friendly and outgoing people. Diverse mix of cultures over there with a lot of people under 30 temporarily living there.
Did you have a good social life while there?
Yes.
What are the most popular past-times in New Zealand?
Outdoor and adventure activities for both winter and summer periods.
In comparison with Ireland, is it expensive to live in New Zealand? What did you find was the most expensive aspect of living there?
Cost of living was cheaper than Ireland but accommodation and food was relatively expensive.
What are the 3 best things about living in New Zealand?
The outdoor activities, the people and the scenery and travel opportunities.
What are the 3 worst things about living in New Zealand?
Public transport, distance from home, food.
Why did you return to Ireland?
Got an offer of a job at a private clinic in Dublin after my 2 years in New Zealand.
How would you rate your experience overall (both professionally and personally) in New Zealand?
Overall it was a very rewarding experience both for gaining clinical experience and experiencing a different culture. I would highly recommend it as an option for new undergraduates who are outgoing and interested in travelling, however adequate preparation is essential.
8/10
What part of the country did you live in?
Wellington, the capital on the north island.
How would you describe the weather in comparison to Ireland?
Similar winter climate to Ireland although summer is warmer and drier.
Would you recommend going over with friends or by yourself? Why?
I would recommend going over with friends. I went with a group of 7 physiotherapists from my class and found it much easier to settle in.
What did you make of New Zealand’s culture when you first arrived?
.Very friendly and outgoing people. Diverse mix of cultures over there with a lot of people under 30 temporarily living there.
Did you have a good social life while there?
Yes.
What are the most popular past-times in New Zealand?
Outdoor and adventure activities for both winter and summer periods.
In comparison with Ireland, is it expensive to live in New Zealand? What did you find was the most expensive aspect of living there?
Cost of living was cheaper than Ireland but accommodation and food was relatively expensive.
What are the 3 best things about living in New Zealand?
The outdoor activities, the people and the scenery and travel opportunities.
What are the 3 worst things about living in New Zealand?
Public transport, distance from home, food.
Why did you return to Ireland?
Got an offer of a job at a private clinic in Dublin after my 2 years in New Zealand.
How would you rate your experience overall (both professionally and personally) in New Zealand?
Overall it was a very rewarding experience both for gaining clinical experience and experiencing a different culture. I would highly recommend it as an option for new undergraduates who are outgoing and interested in travelling, however adequate preparation is essential.
8/10