Graduate Opportunities

Many students who are midway through a degree put off thinking about career planning: the mindset is, ‘I’ve still got a couple of years, there’s plenty of time’. But if you have a couple of years or more left before you graduate, there are things you can be doing which will greatly enhance your graduate employment prospects. First and foremost, you need to familiarise yourself with the range of vacation work and other undergraduate work experience options that are available.

Many organisations in Australia have formal or informal programs for penultimate or final-year students. These programs can range from one-off work experience stints to formal vacation work placements, longer-term cadetships or scholarships. Not only are these programs a great way of getting a ‘foot in the door’ – they can significantly increase your chances of landing a graduate position) – but they give you an opportunity to ‘test out’ an organisation and/or career path. Opportunities for work-related experience vary depending on your field of study. In some courses, like Education or Nursing, for example, work placements are embedded in the curriculum. In areas like Accounting, Business and Law, universities often have links with employers who offer formal programs.

Getting clear on terms

Vacation work
Vacation work is degree-related work that is usually paid and undertaken by students at the end of their second-last year of study (over the vacation period). Competition, especially in high-profile organisations, can be intense, as these placements can be a foot in the door that leads to a graduate position. Organisations are increasingly offering winter vacation programs as well as the traditional summer ones so check with your university careers service about all the options.

Work experience
Work experience is usually student-initiated and is directed at allowing the student to experience a real-work setting. Thework can be paid or unpaid and varies in structure and intensity. For more information see the Work Experience page in this publication.

Cadetships
Cadetships are employed positions offered to students (sometimes graduates) which are designed to provide specific training or mentoring. They can be full-time or part-time and vary from formalised schemes, where cadets are provided with a structured program of training and mentoring, to informal arrangements between an individual student and an organisation.

Co-operative programs
A cooperative program is an industry-based learning program consisting of hands-on, full-time experience in the relevant industry. Participation in a cooperative scheme is usually undertaken
in the third or fourth year of study and involves credit points toward a degree.

Scholarships
Scholarships are financial grants provided by government,industry or private organisations. Relevant work experience with the sponsor organisation is often part of the scholarship.

The Benefits
The benefits of undertaking any of the above undergraduate options include:
• Career-relevant experience
• Résumé enhancement
• Enhanced knowledge of the industry
• Networking opportunities
• Gaining ‘a foot in the door’
• Opportunity to ‘preview’ a job/profession/organisation.

How do I find out about opportunities?
Look through the profiles on the GO website
Talk to your university careers services staff
Contact organisations that you are interested in working for. Even if they don’t have formal programs for students, ask whether there is any opportunity for you to gain experience of some kind with them.
Finding a mentor who can give you advice about where and when to seek vacation work is also advisable.