From CU to New Zealand, this alumna took the road less traveled

As a Senior Analyst for PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in New Zealand, Taylor Boyke is both figuratively and literally on a road less traveled. She graduated in 2016 with a double major in mechanical engineering and Spanish. Since then, she has been busy pursuing opportunity and adventure.

In the summer between her junior and senior years of college, Taylor had an internship with the U.S. Department of Defense. She instead decided the environment was not for her, so she chose to explore career opportunities outside of traditional mechanical engineering applications. She heard many positive things about consulting work from her friends in business, and she decided to investigate. Even though she did not have prior experience in accounting, and she did not participate in any consulting clubs on campus to provide her with experience, Taylor was offered a job from PwC, and began as an Associate in Application and Emerging Technology Consulting in Chicago in August of 2016.

Taylor’s initial work built upon her engineering foundation. She felt the background she built in systems thinking and problem solving from her undergraduate degree was a huge asset in that role. Building up from the foundation, Taylor was able to learn the specifics of the job as she worked and was excited to continue learning new things. In her three and a half years in the role, Taylor worked with many companies in a range of industries: airlines, utilities, railroads, and more.

A year ago, she worked to organize a conference for the international branches of PwC. She expressed her interest in working abroad and met some colleagues in the New Zealand branch of PwC who were interested in bringing her on board. Taylor decided this would be the best time in her life to take on this adventure, and she accepted the opportunity. 

With differences between life in the U.S. and New Zealand around every corner, Taylor was grateful to have her job at PwC to give her continuity as she adjusted to life. She has found the work environment to be very different in New Zealand. As a smaller country, New Zealand has a smaller sector for private industry. Most of the population works in foundational organizations, government utilities companies, and other organizations that are necessary to keep the country running. In addition to this, the New Zealand work week is 37.5 hours—a little more forgiving than the standard American work week. Lines are firmly planted between work and home.

Based in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, Taylor is about an hour flight away from most locations in the country. She said her favorite spots to visit, like the mountains and the fjords, are all on the South Island. Outdoor activity is all around, with public trails stretching as far as the eye can see, and mountain bikers zipping around many corners. 

To all soon-to-be graduates and new young professionals, Taylor wants to stress that you should not feel locked into any decision that you are initially making. Any career path you take can bring you down some unpredictable twists and turns. If you are open to new opportunities that may be awaiting, you will be surprised with what comes your way. 

All photos courtesy of Taylor Boyke.