This year, due to COVID-19, university students right across Australia have dealt with a lot of uncertainty and change, most have transitioned to a remote learning environment. Given the changes to employee and intern recruiting and hiring, many students currently in the recruiting pipeline are unsure of how to connect with hiring managers.
To improve this process, the ACPE Career Development Services (CDS) have made it easier for students to communicate with employers about current opportunities by launching an online recruitment platform, the ACPE Careers Hub. This platform is home to a wide range of voluntary, internship and paid opportunities that are available to all ACPE students with organisations such as Hockey NSW, Macarthur FC, Sydney Roosters, Belgravia Leisure, UFC Gym, Athletics NSW to name a few. With this level of uncertainty, it has been a priority for the CDS team to provide guidance and support to all current students and ensure graduating students are prepared to step into the working world. Simone Younis, ACPE Career Development Manager, shared; “We have identified strategies to help our students navigate virtual career development and experiential learning activities amidst the new and evolving challenges created by COVID-19. In a remote world, where students can’t always drop-in to ask a career advisor a question, students have been able to meet with the careers team via zoom meetings, as well as making face-to-face careers consultations available at specific times. This ensured that students with career related questions are supported appropriately. By blending both online and face-to-face careers consultations, students get the best of both worlds. Today, almost 60% of ACPE students participated in one of these consultations.”
Once students have completed their first year and have developed a narrower focus, some ACPE subjects require students to complete a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement ranging from 18 to 60 hours. This placement allows students to apply their classroom learnings to real world situations with some of the leading organisations in NSW. Despite all the changes this year, the CDS team have assisted over 100 students with gaining and completing their WIL placements.
ACPE student Rula Al-Shibly, studying the Graduate Diploma of Sports Administration, is relishing the opportunity to get out there and experience sport “I was interested in applying for an internship to develop my experience and knowledge of the sporting sector. The CDS team and Simone Younis, made the process very easy. I was advised about an internship with Water polo Australia and I went through the application process and I ended up getting the internship with Water polo Australia. The careers team were very helpful and supportive throughout the whole process. I have just started my internship at Water polo Australia, and I am already learning a lot about the organisation. I recommend all students to complete an internship with sport organisations as it will be beneficial in the future and they will be able to expand their knowledge and gain new skills.”
ACPE student, Sam Filmer-Ramsay, studying a Bachelor of Sports Business, shared “With little networking in the sports business industry, I found it difficult to individually reach out and find a sports organisation to take me on for my WIL Placement this semester. I was very lucky to have Simone and the Careers Development Team at ACPE, who provided me with a range of placement options and helped me initiate first contact with my employer. Simone was always readily available to discuss WIL Placements and simplified the whole process. I am now at Bring it On Sports and enjoying my time on WIL Placement!”
Although 2020 has had its challenges, the ACPE CDS team have ensured that ACPE students have had access to a wide range of industry experience opportunities through our valued partner network. Students who complete industry experience during this challenging time, will receive valuable personal and professional development and will further their understanding around what employability skills are required to succeed today.
