Pico Play shapes exciting careers with unrivalled opportunities for interns

If Pico Play’s newest interns learn only one thing during their three-month, paid work placement, it is that work can be fun. But the 14 second-year Malaysian university students who started their internships with the global fun-makers in August are learning so much more. They are gaining a richer understanding of how their skills and knowledge can be put into practice after graduation, their confidence is boosted and they are experiencing what teamwork feels like. Some may even be rethinking where their degree can take them.

Pico Play is the global leader in planning, designing, developing and constructing world-class themed attractions and entertainment and has a growing number of international projects. It currently oversees 15 projects in seven countries and works on some of the world’s most exciting and fun water and surf parks, theme parks, zoos, aquariums and nature parks and family entertainment centres.

The latest cohort of interns has an incredible opportunity for hands-on learning at Gamuda Cove’s SplashMania project near Kuala Lumpur, slated to be Asia’s largest rainforest-themed water park when it opens in 2023.  Since 2016, Pico Play has partnered with Australian educational organisations including Study Gold Coast’s Employability Program as well as similar organisations and programs in five other countries to find the best students for its internship program. In the past, it’s accepted 24 interns including digital media 3D and product design students from Griffith University, business and event management students from Southern Cross University, interactive media and design students from Bond University, civil engineering students from Site Institute Brisbane, business and marketing students from Monash University and engineering students from the University of Queensland.

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Pico Play has even taken on a virtual intern as part of an Australian intern intake. Declan Dempsey was a final-year commerce student at Monash University whose internship led to a paid position where he worked with the business development team on exciting projects like website development, digital marketing campaigns and research projects. Mr. Dempsey said both the work experience and job placement were rewarding, interesting, challenging and fun to put his university skills into practice.

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Pico Play Senior Project Manager Josh Madrers said many interns over the past six years were offered full-time work, including the company’s first-ever intern, Griffith University graduate Bryce Clarke who still works for Pico Play as an attraction designer.

“Our fast-paced, inclusive and exciting company culture attracts passionate, visionary thinkers who are team players,” Mr Maders said.

“Our interns have started roles in many relevant business units, including attraction designers, business development coordinators, project designers, quality surveyors and marketing executives.

“The latest Pico Play interns are a very eager team of individuals and we’ve enjoyed playing a role in shaping their careers and helping them learn new skills to broaden their horizons.”

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The current cohort of Malaysian interns includes 12 artists and two project and construction students from the Universiti Teknologi Mara. The construction interns see firsthand how onsite project management works and the detailed coordination that goes into the day-to-day running of a large theming project.

“They are learning about counting staff and materials and managing work areas and all the documents that need to be sent to the principal contractor,” Mr Madrers said.

“These interns get to tap into the knowledge and be mentored by a range of qualified professionals who help us bring these innovative designs to life.”

When the 12 artistic interns started their placements, the team was in the middle of building rock façades for SplashMania’s striking rock structure out of thick glass-reinforced concrete (GRC), which looks like natural rock but is much lighter.

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Pico Play's Art Director Syafiq is managing the artistic students who, he said, are realising there are many more career opportunities for them beyond producing art for a gallery.

“Our design team likes to dream,” Syafiq said. “So, our interns have the opportunity to dream big too through the daily brainstorming meetings.”

The artist interns are drawing and learning about cement carving and fibreglass moulding and bringing those moulds to life through scenic painting of boulders, treetops and tree trunks.  These students also have a rare opportunity to see Pico Play’s expert artists work with its speciality product, GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete).

“Most of the interns are doing fine art degrees and we are giving them an opportunity to see a new working environment that they may not have even considered,” Syafiq said.

“They come to Pico Play to learn, observe the working process and practise what they have learned with our talented artists and the most impressive will be offered full-time work.

“The best thing about working at Pico Play is that it’s so much fun.

“It’s a good-vibes working environment with a supportive team and lots of smiles, which means less stress and more excitement.”

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