Alliance Abroad | GapYear Programs in Australia

I didn't feel like going on the other side of the planet on my own, that's why I have chosen Alliance Abroad Group.

This experience was unique and amazing ! I really appreciated that AAG helps you with the administrative procedures. And it's a real security to have already signed a work contract before I landed in Oz. I really want to thanks Lisa & Carolyn for everything. I will be grateful my whole life for all of this!

To be honest, at first, I was like : I'm gonna stay 6 months then travel a little bit and go back to Europe. But now that my 6 months program is finished I plan to stay 6 more months and why not another year ?
The work experience was fantastic, and living in Sydney is great ! I fell in love with this city. There's so many things to explore in Australia though! That's why now I'm going to travel and go with the flow..! It's a miracle ! I wasn't kind of a self confident person but this program impacts my life in a way I didn't expect. It made me strong person! I think this kind of experience is unique, opens your eyes on so many things.

I grew up both on the professional and personal aspects here. I think I found the meaning of "happiness" in Oz. I mean the rhythm of life is great, the weather, the landscapes, the food, people are so nice. I can't explain it, you need to live it!

I 100% recommend AAG for your future program guys !
If you are still hesitating about what to do just think about a quote that I've learnt here :
"If you don't get out of the box you've been raised in, you won't understand how much bigger the world is."

It was a very nice placement in a Yacht Club in Sydney.... but I was just working on Sundays.... The amount of working hours was to small..... ( 5 - 10 hours by week). I tried to contact Alliance Abroad and the employer for more hours but nothing was done... Fortunately, I found an another job in Sydney. So with my 2 Casual job, I was a very good experience. But it did not worth paying so much and working so little.....

Awesome experience

I am working in 5 star hotel
in Sydney cbd
I start as a porter now I am working as Doorman
so I already step up
it was an honor to met Lisa deLuca and Carolyn Mclean
they very nice and always helpful

I can't wait for my second job placement !!!
where it could be?? Sydney gain? Melbourne, Gold Coast, Perth??
who knows

I arrive on the 7th of September,
so by the 12th I was already working
so there is not the ansia to look for a job, go around with your cv,
etc etc
and I got a few days to look for accommodation

I've just gotten back from my 6 months program in Sydney; it has been such an amazing and unforgettable experience! Thanks to AAG, I worked at the Sheraton On The Park and I couldn't ask for anything better. I was part of an international team, so I had the chance to make friends from all over the world and practise and improve my english skills. If you like being in contact with different cultures and people, this is the right place for you. During my time off, I explored the area around Sydney -its beaches and amazing national parks, especially Blue Mountains, will leave you breathless- and I've been to Cairns, Queensland for a little holiday. Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef is a once in a lifetime experience! I saved money during my time in Australia, so I could backpacking New Zealand as well.

AAG did a terrific job. From the first time I contacted the office, they've always been very nice and detailed. They were ESSENTIAL during my job research, providing tips, interviews and plenty of support. They helped for tax refound, accomodation and bank issues. I really want to thank my team leaders Lisa and Lexi for her wonderful job. If you are looking for a safe, guided and high quality support, don't hesitate!

Initially, I was overjoyed when I received news about finding a placement in Melbourne, Australia. What could possibly be better than a Visa that permits both a stable source of income and a holiday in Australia?! Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case, in a sad turn of events, I've yet to receive anytime off in the three months I've worked, to explore Oz. My hotel is short-staffed, which as permitted me from experiencing the "holiday" in my "Work/Holiday Visa". I was hired as a part-time employee, but I typically work full-time, without receiving any of the benefits. When I inquired about taking annual leave (seeing as I did not move to the other side of the world to spend all my time working) I was denied and was told that my annual leave would come to me in the form of a pay check at the end of my contract. If you could only imagine my frustration. I'm very disappointed. If I had known that this would be my experience, I would not have participated in AAG. However, I say this baring in mind, that I am one participant. This is my story. It's not to say this will be your experience. On a positive note, I work with people from all over the world. It has brought me immense joy meeting people from all walks of life. I think overall, if I had been afforded time to travel, I would have been satisfied with my experience.

I am from Canada and have been in Australia for about 4 months. Alliance Abroad has helped me find a great job, and assisted me on finding a place to live in a good area close to my work. They have also kept in contact with me through out my experience here and have supported me with any help that I have needed. They have also organized a number of social outings for anyone in the program to go to which is a nice touch. I am very thankful for the support of Alliance Abroad during my experience here in Australia.

difficult to work for employers. staff and location made it very worth it. came out a stronger, and more tolerant employee and i know this will help me with future jobs. excellent location and countless memories were made. social life is excellent. small resort so jobs vary greatly. It was fun to have a roll here that is detrimental to the success.

I've just gotten back from my 6 month internship and time really did fly. It was quite terrifying the first two weeks and I got really homesick but there are so many people that are in that same boat over there so it is easy to connect with others. The food was amazing and there is something always going on in Melbourne. I had the best time of my life in Melbourne. I met the most amazing people and made memories of a lifetime. I worked at The Westin Melbourne and it was amazing. I learned so much there for my future career. I got to travel to Singapore, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Sydney. I was only there for 6 months but my work was understanding and flexible:) Unfortunately, I could have done the same without the program. It did not do much for me other than already having the job when I got there and help with taxes. I did not hear much from them while I was there and that was part of the reason I did it with them so I would be guided, I might as well just gone on my own. It was not worth the fee I was charged. Other than that my time in Australia was great! Especially Melbourne!

Would not recommend! I signed up for the 1 year program. The program contract states that they find you interviews and when a job has been found you sign the paperwork and Alliance Abroad has done their job. What it doesn't state is that if you sign up for 1 year (2 placements) up front you are not getting a guarantee of anything honestly. They will attempt to get you a job but it may not be directly after your first job. You could be in limbo for a month or 2 and in addition to that they may not even find you a job or an interview. They will not give you a refund for the second placement because they fulfilled their terms of the contract by finding you the first job. The second job is just an expensive bonus for them! You pay for it but get nothing in return.

For me the first placement went well because I made the best of it but the second placement was a nightmare. I was held in limbo for 2 months without a job. I was then offered a job in a different city which I spent money to fly to, only to find I wasn't what they expected and rescinded my job offer. Alliance tried to find me other jobs but failed in getting me any other interviews. When I requested a refund, I was told that they have fulfilled their obligations by finding my my first placement which I completed and will not be issuing a refund. This is a scam!. They took money for a service they did not provide. Please use caution if you are going to use them. They have very pleasant and polite staff but the contract rules are way in Alliances favor. Don't get screwed like I did.

Also, don't be fooled by false promises. Helping you with housing refers to sending you links to housing websites you could find on your own. They are not much help in that regard. They sometimes give you a little help of areas to look in but have unrealistic expectations on what you can afford. Sure you can get a apartment next to your job but you won't be able to afford food. Or you can get an affordable place out of the city if you are willing to buy a car. Either way won't matter to them. More than likely you will end up living in a hostel and they'll be like "ah, it'll all work out"...NOT!

As for the job placements themselves, they are very candy coated and do not portray the actual jobs themselves. I was told I would be working for a restaurant in a hotel......it was a wildlife park. Not a hotel at all! How do you get that mixed up! I enjoyed working for the park because of the animals but the job itself was not even close to what I was described. Make sure to speak with employers directly. Alliance gives false information to either cover their lack of knowledge or lack of glamour of the job. I asked multiple times about the placement before I left America and was reassured it was a hotel despite my doubts since the website did not match the description. I was right.

Do yourself a favor and don't sign with this company. If you have any questions about my experience please contact me. I would be more than happy to help people avoid my mistake.

Travelling so far from home can be pretty overwhelming. There is so many things to get organized and figured out before you can finally relax but thankfully Anita at AAG helped me settle in very smoothly. She has worked really hard to ensure I secured a job and helped me with my housing situation. I am very thankful to have such an awesome team helping me throughout my stay in Australia!

After being in australia for a couple of months after traveling the east coast it was time to find a job. I had settled in sydney and applied for a number of jobs and heard nothing or just wasnt what i wanted. This is where i found alliance and they instantly found me a job and i started within a matter of days.
Without them i honestly think i would still be looking for a job and probaly thinking i need to go back home.

I would like to thank everyone especially anita! She has supported me throughout and still asks me how work is going. A true credit to the team.

In six short months of living in Australia, I have seen more than I ever thought imaginable. Beaches that take your breath away, mountains that make your life seem small, and animals I didn't even know existed.
Working at the Great Ocean Ecolodge in Cape Otway, Victoria, I had no clue what to expect. It has exceeded my furthest expectations. Kangaroos bounce past my doorway and windows each morning and night, koalas hang above me in the treetops when I set up my hammock, and everything I had thought seemed so dangerous about Australia, has become beautiful in its own unique way. I've eaten gourmet meals at the Sydney Opera House while the Harbour bridge glows in all its glory. I've swam alongside the sea turtles of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. I've hiked the tallest mountain in Tasmania to see the sunrise over the Franklin river. Still none of this will compare to the feeling you get when you realize you live in AUSTRALIA! That feeling will never fully sink in or go away. I have met some of the best people I will ever know and made friends that I know will last a lifetime! This experience has been the BEST decision of my life.

Living on an island has been an interesting experience. Since most of the time I worked breakfast shift, I have the rest of the day off and will have activities like scuba diving and skiing available for me. And most evening I would head to the beach to watch beautiful sunsets. Its definitely a luxurious working life. One of the difficulties I found was mainly having to do a lot of overtime as living on an island, the resort does not have access to a lot of human resource and are usually under staffed. Overall it was a very interesting and wonderful experience that I feel everyone should give it a try.

Its a good experience for personal growth. You have all the instruments to make it great! Get a lot of friends and travel around australia.
As soon as you arrive you get your job.
this is a great start. then your adventure can only be improved.
Fix your goal and get it!

This was the most exciting and scariest decision ever. Exciting because I was about to be in a whole new country, scary because I was leaving everything I knew behind and starting a life on my own! Because of taking this leap with this awesome program, I have been able to meet so many amazing people that I can honestly call life long friends, I've tried so many new foods, learned about different cultures, learned how to live on my own, I've created a million and one memories, I even found the love of my life here, most importantly, I have realized just how strong and independent I am by making this big move! AAG has been there every single step of the way and I don't see them as my "program coordinators" but as my friends and mentors! They helped out with my accommodation, my banking, my job, and even helped me with getting my Aussie cell phone. They truly care and have your best interest and want the best for their applicants! I could not have gotten this far without them! They always let us know about upcoming events here in Oz, and check up on us to see how we are doing, so you will never feel alone. I love AAG and glad I made the decision to go with them!!!