What did you do over winter?
Instead of having a well-earned break from their studies, a group of Central Coast students from a diverse range of disciplines participated in a new extracurricular program to increase their employability.
With a mentor and industry sponsor to guide them through the process, teams of three students were provided a project brief from a New South Wales Government department and just 6 short weeks to investigate the issues, determine their findings, and provide recommendations to their client in a formal presentation.
The projects ranged from investigating ways to deter youth and shop crime for the NSW Police on the coast, farm to plate initiatives for Regional Development Australia (RDA) Central Coast, to encouraging the uptake of private health care in public hospitals for Central Coast Local Heath District (CCLHD).
The final presentations were presented last Thursday afternoon, at the tail end of a big Enterprise and Innovation Day at the Central Coast Campus. Facilitated by Dr Brok Glenn, Dean of the Central Coast, the students dressed in business attire presented their findings to a room full of peers, industry sponsors, Intersective representatives, and University of Newcastle staff.
All the students showed exemplary professionalism and dedication to their projects, delivering results for their sponsor organisations that will provide the basis for ongoing projects and initiatives within those organisations.
The program, however, does not end there. The students will be meeting again next week to share their learnings from their experience, providing us valuable feedback on the program, and importantly, to identify and articulate the employability skills they acquired through the process.
UON Central Coast appreciates the willingness of our students and industry partners to take this ‘leap of faith’ with us on this new employability initiative, and the support of Study NSW and Intersective with offering the program.
To find out more about this employability program contact Dr Kylie Twyford from Careers and Student Development on 4921 5589.
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The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.