"11 rewarding years at IDP, filled with enriching opportunities and accomplishments!" - Dhanya Wilson

"I embarked on my journey with IDP in 2012, as an Education Counsellor. Over the years, I have had the privilege of advancing through various roles, from Senior Counsellor and Team Leader to my current position as Destination Manager for the UK and Ireland. The journey has been consistently enriching and captivating, and I can confidently say that joining IDP has been one of the most rewarding decisions I've ever made. 

Being a part of IDP, an organization with a great vision that leverages the synergy of digital technology and human expertise to transform the world through global education, is an incredibly fulfilling experience. Witnessing the positive influence that my work has on our students’ lives is not only rewarding but also a significant source of motivation for me. Throughout my journey, I've had the privilege of encountering countless opportunities that have promoted my personal and professional growth which has allowed me to enhance my ability to connect and communicate effectively, which, in turn, has taught me to be bold and take up new challenges each day.  

IDP has played a pivotal role in empowering my professional and personal growth through diverse opportunities, skill development, time management, exposure to latest technology, and developing a strong sense of purpose in contributing to the education journey of our students. 

Progressing through various roles at IDP and currently playing the role of a Destination Manager reflects my demonstration of leadership qualities. Throughout my journey here, I’ve been identified as a reliable point of contact for UAE government sponsors, university partners, and client connect teams. Being reliable and consistently providing prompt responses to all my stakeholders is one of my key strengths. 

Being genuine and transparent has been instrumental in enhancing my performance and building stronger connections with my colleagues and customers. The sense of belonging and support has increased my confidence and enables me to handle challenges and responsibilities promptly and comfortably. As a result, I have evolved into a more open-minded individual, approaching daily tasks with optimism, excitement, and curiosity. 

One of my recent key contributions to IDP’s success is the initiative I took to engage with the IDP client connect team to acquire the latest information on scholarships from the Data Operations team for different UK partner institutions. This data is crucial for our UK destination counselors. Given the significant interest from students and parents in scholarships, utilizing this updated and relevant information can be instrumental in enabling more students to choose the UK for their higher education and thrive. 

I’d also like to mention about F1 in Schools, which is the most prominent global STEM competition for students aspiring to pursue careers in motorsport and automotive fields. This platform showcased the exceptional work of over 280 talented students worldwide. Thanks to the robust relationships I've cultivated with the schools in Abu Dhabi - the school students approached me, and our office with management support was able to sponsor a group of students from Abu Dhabi who not only emerged as a final winner in the UAE national level F1 in Schools championship but also secured the opportunity to compete at the global level championship held in the UK. 

IDP logo was prominently featured on the car model and all associated marketing materials and this championship had over 50,000 views across various social media platforms enabling more students to be inspired to pursue their study abroad journey with IDP. 

One of the most inspiring aspects of my career at IDP has been the opportunity to positively impact our students’ lives and help them realize their educational aspirations. Furthermore, the support and encouragement I've received from the IDP team to embrace challenges and nurture my professional and personal growth has been incredible. Developing a growth mindset through an international approach has been valuable to my personal development.

Leveraging my leadership strengths, I have been actively contributing to the community by rendering assistance to students with physical health obstacles who exhibited remarkable determination to succeed. 

The success story of a student with special needs and the pivotal role played by me in his study abroad journey is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. At the heart of this tale, there are two main characters. First, the student himself, whose incredible courage and determination led to outstanding results despite facing significant health challenges. Secondly, I as a counselor for the student, provided unwavering support throughout the entire year, guiding him to secure an offer from a top-ranked university in Ireland, along with the prestigious Global Excellence Scholarship covering his entire tuition fees. 

Allow me to share one more story of a mother too, who, with our assistance, successfully secured admission for her four children at different years in esteemed undergraduate programs at top ranked IDP UK partner universities making me their entire family’s education counselor. We also received so many referrals through their family and friends, because of the trust they have in me. She now eagerly anticipates her fifth child's high school graduation, when she plans to once again engage with our team to realize their dream destination for higher education with the team's invaluable support. I take pride in the fact that the impact that my team and I have created extends beyond just a handful of individuals; it reaches the future leaders and influencers of the community. This is because it takes an individual to influence a community, a community to influence a nation, and a nation to influence the world. 

In my view, success is a journey, not a destination. It is the ability to positively impact our students' lives, contributing to our community's well-being and building strong, meaningful relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. It creates a sense of fulfillment and happiness in my everyday life. It empowers both me and my team to carry out our responsibilities with unwavering enthusiasm and dedication, fully aware that our services have a global impact, contributing to the greater success and happiness of students worldwide. 

Throughout my IDP journey, I’ve had the privilege of representing IDP in multiple significant capacities and initiatives. This includes my recent participation in the esteemed UK Student Visa guidance session, organized by UKVI, VFS & other industry experts in UAE. I also had the opportunity to contribute to the Elite Students Workshop organized by the IDP Connect team for the Middle East region. In addition, I was honored to be nominated as a member of The University of Nottingham's Law Curriculum Building Review Team, representing the IDP Middle East region. I’ve played a vital role as a team member in IDP UK's internal certification project and have attended various client connect review meetings with the client connect team for the performance review and feedback. 

When I look back and reminisce all that I’ve achieved so far, it feels fantastic as I’ve received several awards at both Global and Regional levels, in various categories such as Community Endeavor, Greener Future, and Inspirational Innovation and also received recognition for the Student Referral Awards for having the highest number of referrals per counselor multiple times, Highest Engaged Individual and LinkedIn winner and Social media star for multiple consecutive weeks for IDP #morethanworkactivity . Furthermore, I was also awarded as the Best Counselor and Runner-up for multiple destinations over several years at the office, country, and regional levels. Our team in Abu Dhabi has been honored with multiple accolades, including the Super Star Office awards, Country of the Year award, and several other categories.  

I have also been recognized with awards as the final winner of UK familiarization trips on multiple occasions, and most significantly I won an iPad from the IDP UK team in 2018 for being the final winner for Cambridge Education Group UK Familiarization trip (this was only dedicated for IDP team members). 

I’ve had the privilege of representing IDP through various events and conducted various Study Abroad information sessions for students at schools, universities, and several communities. I also took on a mentoring role, guiding and supporting both new and existing team members at IDP in process improvements. I am delighted to share that we have also successfully placed a few students at the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge this year as well as in previous years. I am also a member of the church lector ministry and involved in various community activities and also completed the course from the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia on Safeguarding Policy to ensure a safe environment for children and vulnerable persons. 

My journey with IDP has certainly been marked by a diverse range of contributions and accomplishments and has helped me thrive and flourish professionally and personally. 

Prioritizing a customer-first approach at IDP adds more significance to my work. By enhancing the experiences of students and their families and providing support in crucial life decisions such as selecting the right course and institution, I am adding more value to my role. Education is a lifelong journey, and my responsibilities include guiding students through this ongoing learning process and mentoring the team as we collectively work towards a common goal. Observing their progress and accomplishments is a source of immense satisfaction, making it more meaningful. 

I am grateful to have a strong support system both at work and at home. My family has been a constant source of encouragement for my achievements at every step. Being able to strike a healthy balance between my personal and professional life, all these years is what gives me a profound sense of fulfillment. 

Hobbies: Engaging in my hobbies brings me immense joy. Experimenting with flavors in the kitchen, especially when I see the smiles on my kid's faces, fills me with happiness. Additionally, dancing is a passion that allows me to unwind (not a great dancer though). Whether I'm preparing a new recipe or dancing to any rhythm or exploring my creativity through painting or any artwork, these hobbies add vibrant colors to my life. 

Fun Fact: Not only being a proud mother of two children as well as their best friend in various walks of their life makes me a youngster, enables me to bloom in the new dimensions of my life to understand the needs of the younger generation, but also makes me more compassionate towards their perspectives by listening to their everyday stories. My son being the eldest, is currently pursuing his undergraduate studies at the University of British Columbia, Canada. My daughter, the youngest, is 12 years old. Our weekends are predominantly filled with family outings, travelling, and engaging in various community or church activities." - Dhanya Wilson, UK Destination Manager - Abu Dhabi