From Shekou to Marketing Project Manager at TTI Vietnam｜市场营销职业之旅

I attended SIS from 2011 to 2017, after which I studied at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. I graduated in December 2022 with a Bachelor's in Communication Studies and a minor in Sociology. 

I chose my degree purely because of its flexibility to work in a vast range of industries. If I wanted to explore my options with a News agency and become a journalist, I could do that. Even if it wasn't a professional career for me, I could jump into a different industry, such as corporate communications, public relations, or marketing. Ultimately, it was the freedom to choose my concentration and the flexibility of applying my skills to various industries that helped me choose Communication Studies as my best-fit program.

I recently moved to Vietnam to take up my role as Marketing Project Manager at Techtronic Industries (TTI) Vietnam. My previous part-time and intern positions at Milwaukee Tool Asia and as the Fan Ambassador at Inter Miami CF provided me with excellent experience. TTI Vietnam works primarily in power tools such as saws, drills, mowers, inverters, and so much more; our company manufactures power tool brands such as Ryobi and Milwaukee. My return to Asia life/culture has been an easier transition than I originally expected. I find that Vietnam is a middle ground between Asian and Western cultures where knowing the native language is not required to get around the city. Overall, I am enjoying my new life in Vietnam and the culture that it brings. Ultimately, my goal is to work as a marketing or communications director for an organization that shares the same values as mine. In any career, aligning with what a company or organization represents and stands for is essential. With aligned, values comes passion and drive that pushes growth and motivation in your respective career.

Strangely enough, I believe my experience with team athletics at SIS established an essential foundation for my career and time at university. Understanding effective methods of collaboration by being able to work with my peers, develop leadership skills, and gain an attributing sense of perseverance that drove me to push through and succeed in every given situation has carried over after graduating from SIS.

I think the overall academic rigour of the IB Programme allowed for a smooth transition to

university in terms of managing course loads. I found myself better prepared compared to my peers, who seemed overwhelmed in our first year. In other words, experiencing IB reinforced my time management and organizational skills while setting a solid academic foundation that would carry over into university success.

In the academic aspect, it kept me on my toes to make sure I completed my assignments thoroughly and effectively. In a personal aspect, I was instilled with the conviction to go out and make an impact on the communities that I identified with and learn skills that I eventually found a passion for. In a professional sense, everything fell into place with the experiences that came with university life and encouraged my personal growth.

In my field, it's important to fully understand and research the communities you are working with and familiarize yourself with the products you work with to the extent that you know both entities like the back of your hand. Corporate business tends to be overwhelming, but as long as you stay on your toes, ask questions, and are concise with organization, learning the ropes of the field/industry comes with time and patience. But If I had a personal piece of advice, I would say it's imperative to work on your Network. Although it's true that, at some point, you'll be in a position where you leverage not what you know but who you know, a mentor also taught me that it's just as important to focus on who knows you.

我于 2011 年至 2017 年就读于深圳市蛇口外籍人员子女学校（SIS），之后则在佛罗里达州的博卡拉顿，佛罗里达大西洋大学（Florida Atlantic University）学习。在 2022 年 12 月毕业后获得传播学学士学位，辅修了社会学。

我选择这个专业完全是因为它的灵活性，可以在各行各业工作。无论我是想在新闻机构中探索选择，成为一名记者，还是转向企业传播、公关或市场营销等不同行业，都可以实现。我选择传播学作为我的专业，是因为它给予了我选择专业方向的自由，并且可以将我的技能灵活应用于不同的行业。

我最近搬到了越南，在Techtronic Industries (TTI) Vietnam担任市场营销项目经理一职。之前，我曾在Milwaukee Tool Asia公司兼职和实习，还在Inter Miami CF公司担任粉丝大使，这些经历为我积累了丰富的经验。TTI Vietnam主要专注于生产锯子、电钻、割草机、逆变器等电动工具，其中包括Ryobi和Milwaukee等知名品牌。我回到亚洲的生活和文化中并没有像我最初预期的那样困难，我发现越南是亚洲和西方文化的交汇点，即使不懂当地语言，也能很好地适应这个城市。总的来说，我非常享受在越南的新生活和这里的文化。我的最终目标是在一个与我价值观相符的组织中担任营销或传播总监。在任何职业中，与公司或组织的价值观保持一致非常重要。有了这样的一致性，我会充满激情和动力，推动自己在职业生涯中的成长和进步。

让人意想不到的是，我认为在SIS参与团队运动的经历对我的职业生涯和大学时光起到了至关重要的作用。通过与同龄人的合作，我学会了有效的团队合作方法，培养了领导能力，并获得了坚韧不拔的精神。这种精神推动着我在任何情况下都坚持不懈，并取得成功。

我认为，国际文凭课程（IB）项目的整体学术严谨性使我能够顺利过渡到大学学习。

在管理课程安排方面时，我感到自己准备得更充分。与同龄人相比，我发现自己更能应对大学的挑战，而他们似乎在大一时感到不知所措。换句话说，通过学习IB课程，我提升了时间管理和组织能力，同时也打下了坚实的学术基础，为我在大学取得成功铺垫了垫脚石。

在学业方面，IB课程让我时刻保持警惕，确保彻底有效地完成作业。在个人层面上，我内心深处培养了勇于走出去、对我所认同的社区产生影响的能力，并且具备发现并学习我热衷技能的决心。而在职业方面，大学生活中的经验使一切都顺利地发展，并促进了我的个人成长。

在我的专业领域中，重要的是充分了解和研究你所工作的社区以及熟悉合作的产品，以至于对这两个实体了如指掌。公司业务往往让人应接不暇，但只要保持警觉，多问问题，并进行简明扼要的总结，就能通过时间和耐心掌握该领域/行业的规则。不过，如果要给我个人一些建议的话，我想强调在人际网络上下功夫的重要性。诚然，在某些时候，你需要利用的不是你知道什么，而是你认识谁，但一位导师也告诉我，关注谁认识你也同样重要。