“I truly believe it makes a huge difference being able to wake up, go to work and really enjoy what you do. I love being out in the community and helping people - for me money isn’t a motivator but leaving a positive impression in people’s lives," says Shayal Mala PGF Services health promoter and AUT health promotion and public health graduate.
“When I went to my Air NZ interview I found I could confidently answer every question they asked me because of the interview practice I did at the Employability Lab,” says Bachelor of International Tourism Management graduate Justin Singh. Now working as an Air NZ contact centre consultant, he encourages all students to make the most of AUT Employability and Career services.
What does design and psychology have in common – quite a lot as Rajvi Rangrej realised when she discovered UX Design after pursuing a psychology and criminology degree. An interest in how people act and think led Rajvi into studying psychology and criminology. Then her creative interests kicked in. She did an internship in design while finishing her degree and has found a new career goal in UX Design.
Imagine a job in an environment you love and fiercely want to protect, where you know you’re making a difference every single day? This is the daily reality for AUT environmental science graduate Sydney Curtis-Wilson – who got her foot in the door through volunteering.
“When we find a result for terminally ill patients that links to a drug to improve their quality of life, the feeling is priceless,” says Lon Hua with a big smile.
No, Lon is not a front-line medical health specialist, but a medical laboratory scientist providing key test results - behind the scene - for people suffering with a terminal illness.
“As a medical laboratory scientist – you can make a big impact in the medical and healthcare sector,” says Lon.
Scrum master Siobhan Flynn doesn’t chase a rugby ball around a field or hook her arms around someone’s hairy thighs. Nothing like that, much to the surprise of some people.
“Even though my title says scrum master, it has nothing to do with rugby. I’m not even a sporty person,” laughs Siobhan.
Students often ask whether they should bother with writing a cover letter. When I surveyed 15 employers recently about CVs and cover letters, I found six of them read a candidate’s cover letter before they read their CV – yep before! Only two employers considered a cover letter optional. So short answer - yes, it is worthwhile. Here’s are some of those employers' thoughts on cover letters.
Encouraging young people to hope for more, despite setbacks, is a big part of the Patele-Joe Lolo’s job at NZMA, a second chance education institution. It is a role that draws on his education degree and his previous life and work experiences.
Why do an employability award when you are already busy with study, sport, socialising etc? See what our AUT Edge Award and Beyond AUT graduates have to say about what they have gained from doing the awards.
“I now know I can approach new challenges, no matter how hard,” says Karan Patel, who received the MYOB Personal Growth Prize at the Employability Awards Graduation Ceremony on Monday 14 November. “I am proud to receive the personal growth prize. The AUT Edge Award shows me that I have grown from being someone who can't do things to someone who can. I used to be isolated and fearful.”