Graduate Careers Australia
Graduate Grapevine - Number 10, Autumn 2008
University and Beyond – the Curtin Experience
Career Services are well aware of the invaluable information provided by the innovative new survey, University and Beyond, undertaken by Graduate Careers Australia (GCA) (with funding from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations).
In recognising that there is a range of other audiences who would benefit from this information Curtin University of Technology, in conjunction with GCA, organised a series of presentations for employers, academics and Curtin University staff. These presentations were held on Wednesday, 27 February this year.
What started out as one seminar quickly grew to three fully booked presentations, with over 150 employers and 50 Curtin staff attending. Any qualms there may have been over participants finding value in the data was quickly extinguished by the energy in the presentations, the conversations generated during the breaks and further requests for information after the presentations by those unable to attend but who had heard of the success of the sessions.
Cindy Tilbrook’s (Executive Director, GCA) delivered two distinct presentations, one aimed at Curtin staff and the other at employers.
She provided an insight into the broad range of opinions graduate students hold about post-university life, especially in relation to employment expectations.
These included:
- the type of work they hope to obtain
- their expected salary
- how they value the various benefits being offered by employers
- preferred types of work
- methods of seeking work
- their expectations of working life.
Curtin University of Technology Staff Presentation
In strongly supporting and encouraging Curtin students to participate in University and Beyond, Jane den Hollander (Deputy Vice Chancellor, Curtin University of Technology and GCA Board member) foresaw that many groups within the university would find the data beneficial. Obviously the Careers Service would benefit, but other divisions and services seeking to better understand both current and future Curtin students and, thereby, deliver much more tailored services to them, would also have many uses for the student responses. Similarly academic staff would be able to apply some of the findings to the development and delivery of their courses.
The approach proved very insightful. The audience numbers were split between academic and service centres, with the majority of audience members seeing and reporting immediate applications for the information provided. It was also fun to see the reaction of staff as they either agreed with the reporting of students’ opinions or were caught by surprise by a response. Beverley Oliver (Director Teaching and Learning) was so impressed with University and Beyond that she will be continuing the discussions Cindy’s presentation facilitated throughout 2008 as part of the university’s Curtin C2010 Project.
Cindy was also able to raise awareness of the range of GCA publications available to support university students, including the annual Australian Graduate Survey (a survey of the destinations of new graduates). Many members of Curtin’s staff have since collected a range of GCA’s titles from the Career Service for use in their various departments.
Employer Presentations
Indications that the employer presentations were going to be a success came early when the first session was fully booked within five days of the event being advertised. This interest has not waned with employers still contacting the Career Service to obtain University and Beyond results.
Cindy coupled the University and Beyond findings with information collected in GCA’s Australian Graduate Survey and Graduate Outlook Survey (a survey of graduate employers) to provide a more detailed picture of student movement from higher education to the work force.
Employers agreed that they could use this information when recruiting graduates to tailor employment packages based on a clearer understanding of student desires and expectations. Results of the survey were also thought to be of value when graduate employers and universities are communicating to students a realistic understanding of employment prospects following university, and the expectations of employers once they enter the work force.
However, they also found that being able to discuss the findings (whether in agreement with the results or challenging some of the conclusions) with each other and the Curtin Career Service was extremely helpful.
Having the survey conducted by an independent and well-respected organisation such as GCA was seen as important, especially with GCA’s Executive Director, Cindy Tilbrook, taking the time to visit the West and deliver a summary of the key findings was highly appreciated.
Julie Howell, Manager Career Services, Curtin University of Technology NCDW Campaign
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