Welcome to the official website of the Graduate Careers Council of Australia (GCCA)

2010 Beyond Graduation Survey

GCA is currently running the 2010 Beyond Graduation Survey, a study of graduate outcomes three years on. The survey is being conducted in conjunction with 32 higher education institutions around Australia. The results of the survey will be published later this year. Participating graduates should refer to their invitation email for access to the survey.

2010 NAGCAS Employer Visits

The 2010 NAGCAS Employer Visits will take place in Brisbane from Monday the 19th - Wednesday the 21st of July, the theme of this years visits is "Award Winning Employers and Niche Industries." For more infromation about this event please refer to the PDF below.

2010 Virtual Careers Fair

The 2010 Virtual Careers Fair was conducted over the 22 - 31st of March, with over 10,000 participants taking advantage of many interactive features including video conferencing, web cam chats, career resources and more, making the VCF a great success. The site is still live and can be accessed to download lots of great career resource materials, for more information visit www.vcf.graduatecareers.com.au

New longitudinal study of graduates launching May 31

In 2009 GCA conducted a pilot of the Beyond Graduation Survey (BGS), a follow-up survey of 2005 higher education completers from an earlier survey (the Australian Graduate Survey or AGS).  The pilot was a great success, with 23 institutions participating and 10,710 respondents nationally. GCA is now preparing for the first iteration of the full survey on May 31.

By combining AGS data with a three-year follow-up, the BGS obtains an update on a number of key areas including labour market status and salaries. It also provides graduates with an opportunity to reflect on their course experience after three years have elapsed, examines career aspirations and looks at the role of qualifications in employment. A five-year out follow-up is also planned, forming a medium-term longitudinal study of graduate outcomes.

The results of the 2009 pilot study are due for release next month. For enquiries, please email bgs@graduatecareers.com.au .

Graduate Outlook 2009

Graduate Outlook 2009 , a detailed examination of graduate recruitment practices and trends in Australia and New Zealand is now available for purchase from our shop.

This comprehensive report is essential reading for anyone with a stake in graduate recruitment in today’s difficult economic climate, including graduate employers, higher education providers and graduates who are trying to break into the competitive graduate labour market.

A summary Snapshot report is available for free download.

University and workplace success aided by career development learning.

ALTC-funded research by the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) shows the critical role that career development learning plays in positive student transitions through university and into the workforce. Barbara Holland, a member of the project Steering Committee and Pro Vice Chancellor Engagement at UWS, noted “This research provides the nation with evidence of best practices that will strengthen career development learning. Students and the economy will benefit from expanded strategic partnerships among the business, industry, community and education sectors - partnerships that are essential to building a renewable and adaptive workforce.”

 Project outcomes, including all related research is available on the project website, www.nagcas.org.au/ALTC .

New START website replacing the Research Centre

New website all about the Australian Graduate Survey.
The START (Survey Training and Resources Tool) website is aimed primarily at AGS Survey Managers and others looking to find out more detail about the Australian Graduate Survey. Click here to visit the website.

Graduates and The Economic Downturn

The state of the global economy is causing concern among many students and graduates about their employment prospects and job hunting strategies.

GCA has many useful resources that may help you to address your concerns. We recommend reading:

• An interview with GCA Executive Director Cindy Tilbrook on Graduate Recruitment in Times of Economic Downturn, which recently appeared in the Autumn 2009 (Issue #14) Graduate Grapevine newsletter.

 

• Media Release : New research sheds light on an uncertain labour market (20 Feb, 2009).

• The Autumn 2009 GO For It! E-zine, published through Graduate Opportunities , features a transcript from GCA’s recent Virtual Careers Fair (VCF), in which an online chat session was held for students on the topic of job search strategies in times of economic downturn. Click here to view the transcript.

NOTE: We have recently received a number of requests from students for interviews with GCA staff to help with class assignments. Unfortunately we do not have the resources to accommodate these individual requests, but hope that the above information will be of assistance in answering your questions.