GCCA | Graduate Careers Council of Australia

Graduate Careers Australia

ergo - Number 92 September 2003

Diversity in the 2003 NAGCAS Employer Visits

Every year, the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) holds a series of visits, designed to help attendees learn more about the operation of the huge range of workplaces which university graduates can enter upon graduation. The program is open to and was attended by NAGCAS members from all states, whether working as careers staff or in related organisations. In June 2003 the visits included the Royal Children’s and Royal Women’s Hospitals, ANZ, the Department of Immigration, LifeCare Sports Medicine, the Herald and Weekly Times and our own Graduate Careers Council of Australia offices during the three-day program. Four of these of particular interest to me, are detailed below.

Bureau of Meteorology
Several of these employers I found of particular interest, among them the Bureau of Meteorology. While perhaps not the first organisation to spring to mind when considering where graduates may be employed, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has considerable variety in the placements it offers recent graduates, both geographically and in terms of the work performed. The BOM had its first recorded intake of equal numbers of male and female graduates in 2003, who went on to work in roles as diverse as forecasting, administration, IT, research (including computer modelling), public relations and knowledge management. The BOM has 50 regional locations around the country, from Hobart to Port Hedland, and has over 1400 staff working in centres operating 24 hours per day. The Bureau of Meteorology’s website can be viewed at www.bom.gov.au

Baker’s Delight
A contrasting organisation which nevertheless has much to offer the determined employee is Baker’s Delight, which has a team of 17 staff providing training and development to the yearly graduate intake. Operating in the private sector, there is necessarily an emphasis on sales and turnover, yet the organisation can also claim the distinction of being a Registered Training Organisation. Baker’s Delight offers a slightly unusual two year graduate program, wherein the first year is spent working in production and sales – on the shop floor – and the second putting this newly acquired knowledge to good use in the corporate office; this first year also provides training to a Certificate 3 level. Three mentors operate in the corporate headquarters of the organisation, and Baker’s Delight also offers Industry Based Learning, which so far has resulted in a 100% retention rate for participating students on graduation. The Baker’s Delight website is at www.bakersdelight.com.au

Municipal Association of Victoria
Back in the public sector, the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is the peak body for recruiting in the “third tier of government” in Victoria, representing to various degrees the 79 local councils in operation around the state. The state local government sector has an annual turnover of $3 billion per year and employs 40,000 people in almost 100 different categories of employment; MAV exists to lobby state and federal government on various issues concerning local councils, conduct research into related topics, provide legal and planing advice and more. Naturally one of MAV’s key priorities is to address shortages of staff in key areas, and it provides statistical research and recommendations in this as well as the implementation of graduate and induction programs.
www.mav.asn.au

Coles Myer Limited
Finally, I was also pleased to be able to visit the corporate HQ for one of the largest companies in Australia – Coles Myer Limited. Coles Myer (CML) is the largest non-government employer in the country and, with 165,000 employees in total, has a gigantic intake of graduates each year. The newly-developed, two-year graduate program will see new recruits work in four separate areas of the business over blocks of six months, and offers both general and specific modes of training. The size of the program means that a social club and activities can be offered, and the size of the company itself means that extensive oppportunities for networking, “partnering with stores” and mentoring are available to new inductees.
www.colesmyer.com

My thanks to the organising committee for an interesting and varied program – I look forward to the next one with great anticipation.