Graduate Careers Australia
Graduate Grapevine - Number 7, Autumn 2007
Bridging the Gap to Employability…NAGCAS Conference 2006
Over 110 university and TAFE careers staff from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland converged on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast for the 2006 NAGCAS Conference last November. Kicking off with a Caribbean feast on a hot summer’s night, the conference was a blend of professional development, networking and relaxation for delegates after another busy year. Hosted for the first time by the University of the Sunshine Coast during celebrations for its 10th year, the conference was an important milestone for the university and its staff.
With the theme of ‘Bridging the gap to employability…towards greater access, equity and social justice in graduate outcomes’, the conference featured keynote speakers: JackPearson, Indigenous Group Leader from Sinclair Knight Merz; Dr Yuka Fujimoto, a Deakin University academic in areas such as diversity and workforce marginalisation; Mark Lazaroo from The Employers Network on Disability (make sure to read Mark’s fascinating article on page 2); and Marayke Jonkers, a Paralympian and graduate from the University of the Sunshine Coast. (Marayke is profiled in this issue of Grapevine, and is soon to join GCA’s list of esteemed writers.) Queensland academics, Dr Polly Parker from The University of Queensland and Professor Wendy Patton (Queensland University of Technology) also shared their expertise in developing accessible and culturally appropriate careers education.
Major topics centred on the opportunities for otherwise marginalised graduates and how employers can benefit by improving recruitment and retention strategies, as well as looking at the actual experiences of students and graduates living with disability or disadvantage. Delegates were encouraged by speakers to look at their own practices to determine how accessible, open and culturally appropriate they can be, and where they could improve. All presenters received either a beautiful piece of pottery or a framed photograph as a thank you for their efforts, both specially prepared by local Sunshine Coast artists.
Day two saw the opportunity for 12 universities to showcase their ‘Best Practice’ and innovative solutions to the challenges of diversity and equity. This is always a great opportunity for each of the institutions to share, collaborate and learn from one another. There is, as always, the competitive part to this activity, and judged by a team of international delegates headed by Graham Nicholson (President of AGCAS, the UK equivalent to NAGCAS), the winner’s spot was taken out by the RMIT team, with their ‘3 C’s Program (Cross Cultural Communication)’.
Delegates were impressed with their five-star student accommodation which included ensuites, several swimming pools and a gym, while other guests took the opportunity to stay in the Sunshine Coast’s resort town, Mooloolaba. With a packed program featuring over 20 elective sessions delivered by NAGCAS members and associates, delegates enjoyed unwinding and escaping the heat during the social functions (including a Film Night and a breakfast by the beach, where delegates were treated to University 101 – the fascinating and strange history of universities as told by USC academic, Dr Paul Corcoran).
The gala dinner and cabaret theme night, held in the beautiful hinterland town of Maleny, saw one too many NAGCAS members take to the stage with the band – and we’ve got the photos to prove it!
Special mention for all their hard work over and above their day jobs must go to the organising committee that consisted of people from four Queensland universities and in particular to Ngaere Blair, who was the committee member on the ground at USC.
The conference was strongly supported by the Federal Government (through the Department of Education, Science and Training and the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations), Graduate Careers Australia, Defence Force Recruiting and the University of Southern Queensland Equity Unit. The conference Trade Show sponsors included CareerHub, UniMail, Jiig-Cal, Going Global, Hobsons, The Office of Employment Advocate and the Queensland Government Department of Treasury. The positive feedback and obvious enjoyment of delegates was overwhelming, with episodes such as nearly getting arrested for rowdy behaviour at the student accommodation will be sure to go down in NAGCAS history! Roll on the next one!
Authors: Ngaere Blair, Careers and Graduate Employment Officer, University of the Sunshine Coast and Dr Alan McAlpine, Postgraduate Career Counsellor, Queensland University of Technology
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