Build My Employability
There are all kinds of rewarding ways to build your employability at the University of Adelaide.
Adelaide Graduate Award
Gain experience and get recognition for extra-curricular activities.
Career Services
Get prepared for your professional career and connect with industry and employers.
Global IQ Connect
Build your cultural intelligence - a skill essential for a successful career in culturally diverse settings.
Internships
Gain hands-on industry experience while you study.
Study Overseas
Diversify your studies, become a global citizen, and make the world your classroom.
Volunteer program
Meet new people, gain experience and strengthen your resume.
The right steps at the right time
Each new study or career phase you enter will bring with it an ideal new set of steps to enhance your employability. Follow the most appropriate link for you and your situation below to see our best suggestions for keeping your skills progressing.
Undergraduate students
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First year
Join extra-curricular activities
You’ll meet new people, explore interests and add incredible value to your university experience. Some great options include:
Start the Adelaide Graduate Award
The Adelaide Graduate Award is a free employability program that recognises and rewards the paid work and volunteering you do alongside your degree. Register as early as possible in your degree to get maximum value from it.
Use your support services
The following University services and resources—which include job ads, volunteer opportunities, employer events and career guidance—can help you build your employability right from the start:
If you are a student with a disability or ongoing medical condition, we understand that you may face unique challenges in building your employability while studying. Please register with Disability Support as early as possible, so that we can work out how best to assist you with participating in activities like Work Integrated Learning (WIL) (e.g. internships).
Learn about our graduate attributes
Everything we do is designed to help you develop a unique, highly employable combination of knowledge, skills, behaviours and personal qualities throughout your degree. Find out about these graduate attributes and how you’ll develop them in your studies.
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Mid-degree
Now it's time to expand your real-world experience and interpersonal abilities.
Get out into the world
Broaden your horizons and gain real-world experience through:
And consider these co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences:
- Ecoversity Award
- International Peer Mentor Program
- Orientation hosts
- Peer Assisted Study Session leaders
- Student Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors Program
- Student partnerships
- Summer Research Scholarships
- Undergraduate Research Conference
- paid work—find opportunities via CareerHub and YouX.
Use our online Employability and Career Skills tool to assess your employability skills and identify areas to strengthen.
Connect with industry and employers
You’ll gain invaluable industry insights and develop critical networking skills. Some excellent avenues include:
This is also a good time to create your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is a fantastic, global platform on which to highlight your experiences, build your professional networks, and stand out to potential employers. Attend one of our Career Services workshops and we’ll show you how to make your profile sing.
Hone your entrepreneurial qualities
Entrepreneurial thinking, and the ability to be creative and innovative, are key to employability in our rapidly changing world of work. Some channels through which to build your entrepreneurial experience include:
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Final year
Now for the finishing touches to give you a real competitive advantage in your job hunt.
Add to your experience
Reflect on your experiences and employability skills. Are there any areas you need to strengthen? If so, consider getting involved in:
- University clubs
- Australian eChallenge
- Global IQ Connect
- Internships
- Student partnerships
- ThincLab
- Undergraduate Research Conference
- Volunteer Program
- paid work—find opportunities via CareerHub and YouX.
Prepare for your job hunt
Being well-prepared and informed gives you a competitive advantage in your graduate job hunt. Are your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile up to date and at a professional standard? Do you know how to find and apply for graduate roles? These services and resources will help:
- Career Services
- CareerHub to access industry guides and graduate job opportunities
- Career development workshops on resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, and interview skills.
Engage with industry and employers
There’s nothing like engaging face-to-face with industry and employers to build career momentum. You’ll gain industry insights, learn about job opportunities and connect directly with recruiters. Try:
Postgraduate students
Add to your experience
Reflect on your experiences and your employability skills. Are there any areas you need to strengthen? If so, consider getting involved in the following co-curricular and extra-curricular activities:
- University clubs
- University sport
- Global IQ Connect
- Student partnerships
- Volunteer program
- paid work—find opportunities via CareerHub and YouX.
Use our online Employability and Career Skills tool to assess your employability skills and identify areas for further development.
Use your support services
The following University services and resources—which include job ads, volunteer opportunities, employer events and career guidance—can help you build your employability right from the start:
If you are a student with a disability or ongoing medical condition, we understand that you may face unique challenges in building your employability while studying. Please register with Disability Support as early as possible, so that we can work out how best to assist you with participating in activities like Work Integrated Learning (WIL) (e.g. internships).
Connect with industry and employers
You’ll add to your industry insight and polish critical networking skills. Some excellent avenues include:
Also, consider whether your resume and LinkedIn profile could benefit from an update. Our Career Services workshops can help you make your experience stand out.
Hone your entrepreneurial qualities
Entrepreneurial thinking, and the ability to be creative and innovative, are key to employability in our rapidly changing world of work. Some channels through which to build your entrepreneurial experience include:
- AdelaideX Entrepreneurial Opportunities course
- Australian eChallenge
- Ecoversity Green Project Fund
- Tech eChallenge
- ThincLab
Learn about our graduate attributes
Everything we do is designed to help you develop a unique, highly employable combination of knowledge, skills, behaviours and personal qualities throughout your degree. Find out about these graduate attributes and how you’ll develop them in your studies.
-
Coursework students
Broaden your study experience
Broaden your horizons with additional real-world experience or entrepreneurial courses through:
Start the Adelaide Graduate Award
The Adelaide Graduate Award is a free employability program that recognises and rewards the paid work and volunteering you do alongside your degree. Register as early as possible in your degree to get maximum value from it.
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Higher-degree-by-research (HDR) students
Employability development opportunities for HDR students include:
International students
As an international student at the University of Adelaide you have access to a wide range of opportunities and experiences to build your employability through meeting new people, sharing your culture with others, and broadening your experience. These include:
- China Career Ready Plus Program
- Global IQ Connect
- International Peer Mentor Program
- Language and Cultural Engagement Program
- Scholarships
- Study Overseas
- Talking with Aussies
Career Services have a dedicated team who assist international students develop their employability skills for the Australian job market as well as their home country. Visit CareerHub to find out more about employer events, internships, and skills development workshops.
International Student Support also provides a range of specialised advisory and support services for our international students.
And, of course, you’re able to access all the other opportunities listed in the Undergraduate and Postgraduate sections of this web page. Simply choose those most relevant to your stage of career or study.
Graduates and alumni
Stay connected
Post-study, your primary employability goals are to keep your networks strong, skills sharp and experiences rich. And one of the best ways you can do this is by staying connected with your University community.
After graduating, you can keep accessing our Career Services and CareerHub for up to one year after your degree’s completion. Plus, you can join one of our many local and international alumni groups to access exclusive events and programs focused on personal and professional development:
- Alumni Networks and Associations
- Young Alumni (for ages 35 and under)
You could also consider ‘learning by teaching’, by contributing your skills and experience to the University community. This could be as a:
- mentor in our Career Access Mentoring Program
- Volunteer with the University Volunteer Program
Continue your professional and career development
The world is changing and transforming at a rapid pace. To stay ahead of the curve in your professional career, consider expanding and sharpening your capabilities through:
Study at Adelaide
Thinking about studying at Adelaide? Discover how our degrees equip you to take on the challenges of the future.
Find your degree
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