Graduate Opportunities

University attended: University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

Anna is an IT consultant in IBM’s one-year graduate program. During her studies she gained professional experience working on several IT-related internships.

What are your responsibilities in your graduate role with IBM?

I am working on a client-based project for a utility company at the moment. My role as an IT consultant is to provide professional services and to meet the client’s business needs. My main duties on this project are to design, analyse, prototype and develop a front-end application and document design processes.

Describe the application process and how you prepared for it.

I applied on the IBM website then I received an interview call from a HR staff member at IBM. I was offered to come in for a face-to-face HR interview and I prepared a good number of interview questions beforehand. I was then offered to come into the ‘fast track day’, which aims to assess and hopefully offer the graduate a role the next day.

What sort of professional development training does IBM provide?

IBM offers a variety of courses every year. These give graduates an opportunity to experiment in different roles and grow within the company. There are tailored courses for specific career paths, for example if you want to become a technical architect, undertaking ‘architectural thinking’ courses will lead you to that path. The career development through training is pretty much continuous, with lots of courses available.

What are the benefits of undertaking work experience as an undergraduate?

During my uni years I undertook work experience and that helped me gain an insight into the corporate world. The experience helped me in not only building my technical skills but also my communication and networking skills. Taking up volunteer work or getting involved in extracurricular activities relating to your degree can only help when it comes time to enter the workforce too.

What advice would you offer others on what to expect from a graduate position?

IBM is a company of diversity. You will meet people from different backgrounds, cultures and experience. You will get the opportunity to go through various training programs and mingle with lots of people in your first couple of years. My advice is to learn from every individual that you come across because everyone has a lot to offer.