Careers and Employment assist staff in coordinating panels of UNSW alumni and relevant
employers. Held in individual schools over a two-hour period, the panels outline specific
relevant career paths and keys for graduate success.
Each panel is tailored by Careers and Employment to the needs of the school. The
school only needs to suggest a focus they feel would benefit their students, provide
any relevant employer or alumni contacts, and help promote the panel to students.
Chaired by a Careers and Employment staff member, panels would include approximately
four employers/professional associations/alumni. School/Faculty representatives are
welcome to determine the extent of their involvements.
Benefits
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Provide students from all years of study with an industry insight into the
breadth of employment opportunities available in their area of study;
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Encourage students to be proactive regarding their career options;
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Increase interactions between UNSW and industry, resulting in profile raising;
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Provide possible benefits to graduate employment outcomes;
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Enhance relationships between Careers and Employment and schools.
Testimonials
A panel was held last year in the School of Optometry, and received positive feedback.
Feedback from David Mann in the school indicates the high level of success for all
stakeholders:
"A one-hour careers panel was organised and moderated by a Careers Consultant from
the UNSW Careers and Employment office. This panel comprised five people; one the
Executive Director of an International Optometric Education Organisation, one the
Managing Director of the Australian arm of a multinational optometric company,
one involved with indigenous and rural eyecare, and the remaining two being PhD
students in a major vision research centre.
The panel addressed questions put to them by the moderator, with free-flowing
discussion and questions from the students ensuing. Issues addressed included
the options available to optometrists outside of routine clinical practice, the
need for continuing education throughout life, and reflections upon the
undergraduate experience.
The response to the careers panel was absolutely outstanding. Students were able
to meet other Optometry graduates who had completed the same degree they were
studying, yet saw how they were able to utilise and enhance their skills in a
diverse range of occupations."
Students' feedback included:
“It was an interesting experience where I was exposed to many other aspects of the
optometry world and I learnt a lot, in fact this experience opened my eyes and
allowed me to perceive a broader view of what it meant to be graduating as an
optometrist. Must admit that when I first started the course I always thought
that graduation would mean I would just start working in an optometry clinic and
I didn’t really think that there were any other options.”
“Overall I thought it was very helpful and insightful to have a panel of
optometrists who have gone on to do more than practice in a clinic. They showed
me the broadness of optometry and thus showed me that graduating as an optometrist
is only the start of my career.”
