GCCA | Graduate Careers Council of Australia

Graduate Careers Australia

ergo - Number 90 March 2003

Shop-Front at Wollongong Careers Service to Better Support Students

Wednesday 11 December 2002 saw the official launch of the new shopfront premises for the University of Wollongong Careers Service. Relocating from a third floor premise (well away from passing traffic) to a new purpose designed facility, was a move firmly supported at the university – from the Vice Chancellor, the Head of Student Services, and certainly by the staff of the Careers Service.

A variety of guests were on campus for the launch and the university Vice Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton and Roger Bartley from the GCCA both spoke briefly. The former spoke of the importance of the Careers Service to the university and its students, the latter spoke of the facility and its functional design and welcoming amenity. Regional and Sydney based employers, careers colleagues from other institutions, and various academic and general staff of the university were on hand to help celebrate the opening.

The new premises also include a multi-purpose room for small group workshops, employer interviews and staff meetings and an extra room for a part time careers counsellor, or project room for interns who are on staff during the year.

Service Framework Developed

To effectively respond to the expected increase in student demand, a service framework has been designed to promote a “self-service” approach. Posters within the resource area are also reflected in the website design for the Careers Service. Essentially this framework alerts the user to four stages of potential support and self development: more direction, more options, more employability and more jobs. All services, programs and resources on offer connect with one or more of these four categories.

New Staff First Point of Contact

Resourcing in response to the expected increased demand is being facilitated by the appointment of two ‘trainees’ who have graduated from the Careers Service Internship program initiated in 2002. This will result in a trainee being on staff for 3 hours during peak time each day – the trainees will be the first point of contact for students and will refer them onto resources, programs and other staff.

The staff of the Careers Service are very excited by the move – with all staff now enjoying a window, looking out to the lush (although in this summer heat more likely withered) gardens of the campus.

By relocating opposite the Student Representative Council and next to the Clubs and Societies and Student Development offices, the move has helped to create a ‘student development precinct’ on campus and has energised an area that was lacking campus appeal.

The new location will surely add to the profile of the Careers Service on campus, and therefore enable better coverage for employers as well as more effective support and development opportunities for students.