Are these New Zealand’s luckiest interns?

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11 November 2014

Are these New Zealand’s luckiest interns?

FOUR STUDENTS SELECTED TO TRAVEL 2000KMS IN 10 DAY INTERNSHIP

WHILE many university students will spend their holiday internships behind a desk, answering phones and doing coffee runs, digital media student Joel Garman’s internship with Experience Oz + NZ will see him travel to New Zealand’s most iconic locations, skydiving, jet boating, bungy jumping, water rafting and bridge climbing.

Joel was handpicked from hundreds of applications for the 10 day experience, dubbed ‘New Zealand’s Ultimate Internship’, which will see him and three friends travel over 2000kms on a fully paid, once-in-a-lifetime adventure, but there’s a catch – they have to tell their Aussie neighbours about it.

The 21-year-old Auckland-based filmmaker and photographer, who was a Tropfest NZ finalist in 2013 and 2014, says he never dreamt he would be selected to take part in ‘New Zealand’s Ultimate Internship’.

“I have a library of travel shots I’ve taken over the years, so I thought long and hard about which images to submit as part of my entry. I was tracking other people’s submissions and there were so many fantastic photos shared that I didn’t think I’d even make the final cut,” Mr Garman says.

“When I learnt I was a finalist, I put a lot of work and thought into the final portfolio, and made sure I created the strongest team, proposal and video that I could.

“When they called me to say I had been chosen I couldn’t believe it. For me personally, it’s a big achievement. I’ll have the opportunity to further develop my photography and media skills, while inching a step closer towards breaking into the industry. My friends and I are dedicated and fully prepared to rock this internship.”

The internship includes 10 days of paid travel for four people stopping in Queenstown, Milford Sound, Rotorua, Taupo, Waitomo, Matamata and Auckland, with expenses including accommodation, experiences, car hire and flights covered, valued at $30,000.

Best of all, the internship allows Joel to bring three friends along as fellow interns for the ride. Also travelling will be Joel’s best mate and filmmaking companion, Jared Kirkwood and Alesha McCarthy and Ema Villamil.

While Joel remains adamant he’s an adrenaline junkie, he admits the most extreme activity he’s taken part in is indoor rock climbing.

“Extreme sports like bungy jumping and sky diving are two things I’m nervous and scared about, but I’ve always wanted to do them – it’s going to be a wild ten days!” he says.

“It’s also an amazing opportunity for me to showcase the world’s girliest scream. I’m honestly up for anything and everything on this trip.

“We plan to make this a life-changing trip, and in the process, show Australia how amazing our beautiful home country of New Zealand really is and how much there is to see and experience.”

The four interns will be showcasing their experiences through photos, blogs and video posted daily to social media sites Facebook and Instagram (experience_oz).

Experience Oz + NZ Business Development Manager Michelle Woodroff said the internship is a fantastic opportunity to not only experience the best New Zealand has to offer, but also give their professional resumes a huge kick start with the exposure the project will garner.

“Joel, Jared, Alesha and Ema will visit seven iconic regions alongside an Experience Oz + NZ representative, exploring some of New Zealand’s most unique attractions. They will be bungy jumping, sky diving, jet boating, visiting an active volcano and embarking on The Hobbiton movie set tour, and showcasing their best experiences to their Aussie neighbours via photos, blogs, social media and video, which will look great on their resumes,” Ms Woodroff said.

“Joel’s application stood out from the hundreds of high standard submissions we received – it was really difficult to select a winner but Joel’s was easily the most professional, creative and well thought out submission.

“It’s a great opportunity for these interns who all have a passion for travel adventures and photography to build their portfolios and learn new skills in media production and social media along the way. We can’t wait to follow their trip.”

The interns will start their adventure on November 17 in Queenstown. You can follow their adventure via the Experience Oz Facebook, Instagram (experience_oz) or Twitter (@Experience_Oz) or searching with the hashtag #experienceoz and #nzinternship

AVIS is a proud partner of New Zealand’s Ultimate Internship, with a number of car rental locations and options across the country. Millennium Hotel Rotorua is a supporting partner of New Zealand’s Ultimate Internship in 2014.

Experience Oz + NZ is one of Australia’s leading travel experience providers, offering thousands of adventures throughout Australia and New Zealand including day tours, theme park tickets, attraction tickets and activities. Visit www.experienceoz.com.au for more information.

-ENDS-

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