How Flinders helps you graduate work-ready

How do you transition from school to work?

Preparing for your future career takes more than classroom study. It takes fearless thinking, a bold determination, and an understanding of the needs of future employers.

At Flinders, we work closely with industry. We support and empower our students to develop their own career-ready skills and experiences.

What key skills do you need to develop?

Outside of the core elements of your degree, you’ll be taught the skills that will help you turn that degree in to a career. Flinders Careers and Employability team will help you plan your career and help you connect with employers and industry professionals. You’ll learn critical soft skills such as leadership, communication and problem solving as well as job-hunting skills including networking, resume writing and interview preparation.

Flinders Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program has been created to offer a range of industry-linked opportunities to help you graduate work-ready.

What are the differences between student life and working life?

Making the transition from being a student to a professional entails more than simply studying in a classroom. Flinders offers students the opportunity to work within their chosen industry through a variety of work-based initiatives, including (WIL) placements, live industry projects which give students the opportunity to develop real solutions for real industry problems, and practical hands-on experience throughout your degree.

These placements and opportunities give you the edge on your competition. With actual hands-on experience and the bonus of network building, you’ll graduate highly desirable to employers and recruiters.

Our industry links are wide, varied and cover every area of study. In fact, many of our lecturers are active professionals in their own fields. They understand the needs of industry and work closely with industry advisory boards to develop degrees that have the skills employers are looking for embedded within them.

What are the benefits of work placement and industry projects for students?

Flinders’ WIL program gives you the chance to:

develop an awareness of workplace culture and expectations
better understand the rapidly changing world of work
accelerate the transition from student to professional
develop a portfolio of work experience to put you ahead of the pack

Can industry projects lead to careers?

There’s a direct correlation between real-world experience and job readiness. In fact, many students get offered positions in their work placement organisations. For Luca Gnezda, Managing Director of Taptu, the Flinders’ WIL program has been a sensational success.

“Every student we’ve taken on for WIL has either gone on to get a job with us, or we’ve helped get them interviews and built their networks so they can get their own jobs. Internally we’ve had 8 that we’ve employed.”

Luca was particularly impressed with two Flinders students, who took the next step with the company.

“I’ve actually brought them onto my company board. To give advice from a young person’s perspective so we can stay young, fresh, and dynamic. We take input from a strategic perspective from young people”.

Do employers want work readiness?

Work Integrated Learning is a major part of our degrees, and highly regarded by potential employers. Anthony Skeats, Engineering Manager at Micro-X has been involved in the WIL program and continues to be impressed by the quality of Flinders students.

The students are very good quality. In my day, when you came out from university you were very wet behind the ears. The students today have a lot more skills…. they’ve learned to apply these skills a little bit better so they can hit the ground running.

Lachy Sutherland, Manager, Aboriginal Engagement Reconciliation at Department of Environment and Water also sees placing Flinders students as a benefit.

It’s a great opportunity for the student to learn but also for our organisation. In the future, we’d love to see some of these same students who go through the placement secure jobs in science, in management, in engineering within the agency.”

At Australian Rail Track Corporation, Phil Campbell (GM, Technical Standards) is proud to be involved in a program that helps future graduates.

There’s no doubt the 20 weeks gives them the chance to do something they can put on their resumes. We like to give them something they can start and finish. Be responsible for. Something they can say ‘I did that’.

Flinders’ WIL program is just one element in a suite of initiatives designed to ensure students graduate fully prepared for the jobs of the future, and ready to make the transition from student life to working life.