January 21, 2011
Alumni of The Art Institutes system of schools work in jobs all across the country – and the globe. Some alumni have taken jobs or opened their own companies in countries outside of the United States. Ai InSite talks to some of them to learn more about the allure of working abroad.
Frequently international students who study at The Art Institutes system of schools return to their home countries to start their careers. According to the USA Study Guide website, “the U.S. hosts more international students than any other country in the world, a number fast approaching 600,000. In fact, international students comprise approximately 4% of the total undergraduate U.S. university and U.S. college population, and 10% for U.S. graduate school.”
From Bangkok and Dubai, to Hong Kong and Togo, some graduates are pursuing their careers — and their dreams — in destinations far from North America, and the schools they attended.
Working Abroad and Home
“For me, The Art Institutes’ program of study was a passport to start a professional career with great confidence,” says Elom Ketoglo, a 2004 Interior Design graduate of The Art Institute of Phoenix. Ketoglo launched Yatchem Espaces & Décors (YED), an interior design company, in 2007 in her homeland of Togo, a country in west Africa.
Ketoglo, like some of the other graduates working abroad, chose her home country as the spot where she wanted to pursue her professional goals.
“It was a natural move for me to return to my home country to launch my first business venture,” Ketoglo says. “YED is the first interior design studio in the country, and since our doors opened, there has been a growing interest and demand for our services.”
Working Abroad in a Foreign Land
But not all alumni working abroad choose to return to their homelands to start their careers. Shervaun W.L. Wang is a 1996 Visual Communications graduate of The Art Institute of Seattle, and while originally from Singapore, she moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to open her design and marketing agency, called Olivewei.
“I came to Dubai for business six years ago when it was still at the initial stage of growth,” Wang says. “I was planning for a change and also new challenges and I saw this opportunity. I did some research about the region, did a lot of networking, and after that I just jumped on a plane and moved to Dubai, alone at 28.”
Even though she took a chance by moving to Dubai, Wang did important research before doing so. Ketoglo did the same.
“After three years of prospecting and studying local African markets, I felt the timing was right to launch a design practice in Togo,” she says.
Giving Back While Working Abroad
Choosing to move back to an overseas hometown after graduation can also afford alumni the opportunity to give back. That was one of the reasons Panuwat Pichetkul returned to Bangkok after graduating from the Art & Animation Design program at The Art Institute of Vancouver in 2007. Pichetkul started a visual studio called Getty4D, which creates realistic 3D visuals for the architecture and interior design industries.
“First, I wanted to do business in my hometown,” Pichetkul says. “Second, one of my main objectives other than the success of my own business is to help develop the Thailand 3D animation industry. I am looking forward to seeing a rapid growth of 3D animation demand in Thailand in the near future.”
But perhaps the biggest benefit international alumni find when choosing to work abroad is the opportunity to go back home.
Candy Mok graduated from the Fashion Marketing program at The Art Institute of Seattle in 2003 and currently works for Spicers Paper Company Limited as the assistant sales manager. She is at the company’s Hong Kong office, which is her hometown. She says there are many benefits to living and working in Hong Kong.
“Hong Kong is a special economic region of China with its mix of west and east together,” Mok says. “It is an incredible city full of energy, excitement, and endless possibilities. Plus, Hong Kong is my home.”
Article:
Alumni Choose Working Abroad
