“Seeing clients smile after hearing better made me realise how rewarding and valuable this profession is.”
For Taiwanese international student Jo-Yu Huang, moving to Australia to study Audiology at Flinders University was driven by more than just the need for a career change.
Jo-Yu began her studies with a Bachelor of Tourism, and then worked in sales and customer service. Although she was yet to discover her passion for audiology, she recalls that it was already something she was wondering about.
“I often wondered why some older customers couldn’t seem to understand what I was saying, or why they spoke very loudly. After studying audiology, I finally understood that many of them might have had hearing loss.”
After witnessing a family member’s struggle with their hearing loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, when everyone began wearing facemasks, she decided she wanted to do something meaningful to help people with hearing difficulties.
Moving to Adelaide
Once Jo-Yu had made the decision to study audiology, she began researching different options for master’s level courses, specifically in Australia.
“During that time, I met a friend who was also planning to study in Australia. I asked why she chose Flinders, and she told me that one of her friends was already studying here and highly recommended it. She said the learning environment and lifestyle in Adelaide were really good, so I decided to apply as well,” she said.
Now, almost at the end of her degree, she has thoroughly valued the unique opportunities that studying audiology at Flinders has provided.
“A unique aspect of the program at Flinders is the block placement and the Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL) course. The one-month block placements allow us to gain real clinical experience in different clinics before graduation, and EBL helps us develop critical thinking and teamwork skills, which are essential in clinical practice.”
Flinders’ focus on practical, real-world experiences has been invaluable to Jo-Yu’s learning journey.
“I really enjoy the practical learning opportunities, especially my placement at Health2Go and the hearing screening sessions. The supervisors are patient, supportive, and very professional.”
Escaping to the city
While Jo-Yu said that she really enjoys the main campus in Bedford Park, one of her favourite things to do on a Friday is head into the Flinders City Campus. The atmosphere is still relaxing but with a bit more of that ‘city buzz’ and the opportunity to do a bit of shopping after study is done for the week.
“I will study at the City Campus until 6pm, then it’s nearly dinner time so I just have some dinner there and do some shopping to relax and refresh myself!”
Relaxing in Nature
In her limited free time, when she’s not heading into the city or working at her part-time job, Jo-Yu likes to get out into nature.
“There’s a small hill behind the uni, and I like to go for a walk there when I feel stressed or just want to relax. If I’m lucky, I can spot koalas. I’ve actually seen two before, and they were so cute!”
Although it’s South Australia’s major city, Adelaide is hardly a concrete jungle. There’s always plenty of wildlife to see and green spaces to enjoy.
“A couple of weeks ago, I went to see sea lions near Victor Harbor, and sometimes I also enjoy hiking to look for koalas. Adelaide has so many beautiful spots to explore, and it’s really nice to take short trips like that when I have time off.”
Future focus
Jo-Yu has a clear vision for the future.
“My goal is to complete my Qualified Practitioner training and become a professional audiologist,” she said. “I want to raise awareness about the importance of hearing health, which is often overlooked.”
Flinders is helping her take those steps.
“Hearing companies organise recruitment events at the end of the first semester of the second year, and Flinders supports us by sharing these opportunities and related information with students. These events help reduce the pressure of finding an internship and prepare us for employment after graduation.”
“The university provides many helpful learning resources,” Jo-Yu adds. “For example, there are workshops that teach students how to write a resume, which actually helped me secure my current part-time job after they helped me improve my CV.”