Explore 

Degrees are only one piece of the puzzle: Employability explained 
Industry is looking for more than a degree and a solid GPA. This workshop introduces you to the concept of employability – those additional capabilities and mindsets that complement the technical knowledge you will acquire in your degree and that underpin long-term career success. You will learn how to develop your professional self and make a start on your career plan to hit the ground running.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Describe the concept of employability and its relevance to your career success;
• Identify the transferable skills and attributes employers look for to develop a personal employability development plan;
• Access and utilise online resources and career services to continue to build your employability post-workshop.

Connecting with your why: Living your values in the professional world 
Values and sense of purpose are foundational to the way we live our lives. For career success and job satisfaction, it is crucial that our values and interests align with our chosen pathway. This workshop explores your purpose, what motivates you and how your values and passions influence your career choices. It will provide guidance on how to grow your professional identity and maximise your values for your career development.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Reflect on how intrinsic and extrinsic motivators influence your study and career choices;
• Articulate your values, talents and passions to help define your career needs and goals;
• Develop an action plan to grow your professional identity and maximise your values for career success. 

Develop

Navigating the workplace: Developing your professional self 
Entering a new workplace can be daunting, whether you are a first-year student or a seasoned professional. Being aware of our strengths and weaknesses is essential to contribute to organisational culture and productivity effectively. This workshop will provide insights into employer expectations, how to work well with other people and how to communicate effectively. You will reflect on your own personal style and behavioural attributes, and how they impact your experience in the workplace.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Describe the main dimensions of workplace culture and their impact on your career choices;
• Identify key employability skills and how they contribute towards positive organisational culture and productivity;
• Reflect on your professional attributes and understand how they can impact your professional experiences.

Networking masterclass: Building meaningful connections 
Few people are born with the natural gift of networking. It takes time and practice, and often a little trial and error. This workshop encourages you to define and articulate your professional value and introduces you to in-person and digital networking strategies. Understanding that there is more to networking than formal dress codes and canapes will be crucial to your success. Practising your approach in a safe space will enable you to successfully boost your connections to industry professionals and mentors.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Reflect on your employability-relevant experiences and identify key skills to develop your unique value proposition;
• Formulate and practice an elevator pitch to effectively introduce yourself in a professional context;
• Confidently utilise effective networking techniques to grow your professional network.

AI in recruitment: Getting your application machine-ready
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has advanced in virtually all areas of life and has been incorporated into recruitment processes to improve efficiency and cut costs. This means that the first ‘thing’ to see your job application or professional profile may not be a person, but an algorithm! This workshop will give you tips and tricks on how to improve your chances of a machine preferencing your application over someone else’s and introduce you to an AI-powered system helping students build resumes that get noticed.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Describe how algorithms are used to shortlist applications in current recruitment practices;
• Utilise techniques in your application writing to help you be shortlisted for an interview;
• Use the VMock smart resume platform to improve your resume in accordance with industry standards.

Succeed

Job application masterclass: Recruitment essentials from the inside 
What really goes on behind the closed doors of Human Resources offices once you have submitted your job application? This workshop gives you an inside view into how employers assess your application and make recruitment decisions. You will learn strategies to best market yourself and tailor your application to meet the specific requirements of the job allowing you to stand out from the crowd. 

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Apply your knowledge of how recruitment decisions are made in the preparation of your own job applications;
• Use effective marketing strategies to tailor your application to a specific opportunity;
• Produce professionally-looking application documents that are aligned to current recruitment demands.

Articulating your value: Interviewing for success 
Applications do not get you a job, interviews do. Your success in a job interview depends on several factors, from how well you prepare and manage your nerves to how you present and communicate your professional value. This workshop will discuss what employers look for in an interview and provide you with essential strategies for communicating for success. You will practice your interview responses, hone your oral presentation skills and build your self-confidence in a safe environment. 

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Apply proven strategies to prepare for job interviews;
• Utilise the STAR formula (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to answer behavioural interview questions;
• Practice your responses to common questions to build your confidence for the interview setting.

Learning from failure: Staying positive and embracing feedback 
Professional journeys are almost guaranteed to be interrupted by unforeseen challenges and failures. Your ability to reflect on, and learn from, these experiences allows you to grow, be better prepared for future challenges and become a more resilient and adaptable professional. This workshop will provide reflective strategies to develop resilience in the face of setbacks and ways to seek and embrace constructive feedback from employers and colleagues.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Apply proven strategies to manage challenges and setbacks in professional and personal environments;
• Seek constructive feedback at work and positively engage with it to develop strategies for self-improvement;
• Use the SEAL self-reflection method (Situation, Effect, Action, Learning) to develop personal reflection processes to evaluate and improve your performance.

For International Students

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Accessing the Australian job market: Career planning for international students 
Industry sectors and role expectations in Australia may vary greatly from other countries. Don’t let a lack of awareness of these differences restrict your career options. This workshop will provide a foundational introduction for international students to the Australian job market, its growth sectors, common employer expectations and the basics of Australian workplace culture. You will learn to identify career opportunities and will be given tools to develop your personalised career plan.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Identify key elements of the Australian job market (including industry sectors, type of professions, employer expectations and recent labour market trends) in relation to your career planning;
• Recognise the value of adapting to different work cultures and identify actions to develop this adaptability;
• Design a career plan based on your professional identity and SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) in an international context.

Develop

Building experience in Australia: Connecting with industry as an international student 
Many Australian companies value local experience. When you are new to a country and have limited networks, such professional experience can be difficult to come by. This workshop will offer international students insights and tools to connect effectively with industry, identify valuable experience opportunities and build their professional profiles. It will also address the challenges of limited work rights associated with student visas and provide strategies for managing these in the job market.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Develop strategies to build your professional profile as an international student, including how to access local experience opportunities;
• Apply the SEAL self-reflection method (Situation, Effect, Action, Learning) to learn from experiences and articulate your value to prospective employers (elevator pitch);
• Apply your networking skills to identify professional opportunities in in-person and online settings (e.g., networking events, LinkedIn, etc.).

Succeed

Australian recruitment processes: Applying for jobs as an international student 
You often have to begin applying for vacation programs or graduate positions as early as a year (or even more) before your expected graduation date. This workshop will help increase your chance of job application success in Australia by learning what recruiters and employers look for, how to manage the recruitment process and how to make a positive impression at an interview. You will also learn strategies for communicating your post-study visa conditions and work rights with potential employers.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Utilise job search strategies to help you find suitable graduate roles on major online platforms;
• Interpret job descriptions and role requirements, identify the stages of the Australian recruitment process and articulate relevant skills and experiences in your job applications;
• Assess how your visa and working rights affect your job search strategy and communicate those rights appropriately to potential employers.