When a secondment opportunity came up to work for Baker Tilly Staples Rodway’s sister company Baker Tilly International (BTI) in London, I jumped at the chance. What better way to further my career and travel the world!

This secondment offered a number of exciting challenges that I knew would push me completely out of my comfort zone. It’s not everyday you get to fly to the other side of the world to work within a Global Office as their Learning and Development Coordinator for six months.

It was fascinating to find out more about BTI and how they contribute to the effectiveness of Baker Tilly Staples Rodway, not only nationwide but within the Taranaki office. Our firm is an independent member of BTI, the 8th largest network in the world by fee income with over 150 firms in 120 countries. Our strong relationship with other BTI member firms, particularly in Asia Pacific, has allowed us to open many doors across borders for our clients and staff.

For me personally, working closely with the Global Head of Learning and Development Manager meant I saw first hand the different L&D initiatives and resources Global Office offer across the network. One of the biggest learnings from my secondment was gaining insight into the logistics involved in delivering to a global audience; this was very different from anything I have experienced in New Zealand.

I was encouraged to take an active part in delivering webinars and presenting on stage at the EMEA Regional conference, all things I had never done before and all things that I know will have a long-lasting impact on my career. I was able to share my knowledge and learn so much from an extraordinary group of people.

Within a very short space of time I made lifelong friends, connected with members from all over the world and travelled to parts of the world I thought I would never see. This has been a life changing experience to say the least!