The University of Sydney's employability program for international students received an accolade at the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards in Brisbane last week.
The ‘Job Smart program’, developed by the University’s Business School, helps international students develop employability skills and exposes them to the Australian workplace. It is the first student experience program to run at genuine scale with meaningful employability outcomes for individual participants.
Accepting the award on behalf of the Business School, Lucinda Crossley-Meates, Career Services Manager (Education), said it was “an honour” to be recognised by the awards.
“I am proud to lead a program that gives back to the student community that gives the University, our sector and society so much,” she said.
The three-phase program explains what employers are looking for in hiring; assists students with developing CVs and building LinkedIn profiles; and offers online coaching on all stages of the job application process including interviews and aptitude tests.
Each step of the program offers new opportunities to network with industry representatives and gain professional experience in Australian workplaces.
“Our Business School is a world-class centre of teaching, learning and research that supports student to reach their full potential,” Professor Greg Whitwell, Dean of the University of Sydney Business School, said.
“I’m delighted that Job Smart has been recognised for delivering genuinely transformational effects for our student cohort.”
Since 2016, registrations have increased by over 300%, and 41% of students who completed all three phases of the program secured full-time jobs within three months of completing the course.
The University’s work with Qantas to reshape the experience of long-haul flights was also a finalist in the Industry Engagement category.
The work with Qantas builds on a longstanding relationship with the airline, which saw the University assist in the development of a 4D flight planning system to increase efficiency during flight routes.
A collaborative research node launched at the Charles Perkins Centre in 2017 is examining the impact of long-haul flights on passengers and examines how evidence-based interventions can minimise negative impacts.