RMIT turns global uncertainties into opportunities for students

RMIT turns global uncertainties into opportunities for students

RMIT University turned the uncertainties caused by the current global health crisis into an opportunity to introduce students to an innovative and holistic way to get ready for life and work.

RMIT Senior Manager of Careers, Alumni and Industry Relations Manuela Spiga said that “although COVID-19 is forcing us to change the way we support and provide services to our students, the positive impacts brought by those activities cannot be denied”.

One such activity, the virtual company tours, provided students with a glimpse into daily work-life. The tours not only brought comfort to both employers and students during an uncertain time, but also eliminated geographic boundaries and enabled employers to promote their brands cross-campus in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

“Participating in the virtual company tours was a completely different and exciting experience for students,” Ms Spiga said.

“Even though they could not have the physical experience at the companies themselves, the event did give them valuable insights and information into company cultures and working environments.”

RMIT’s Careers, Alumni and Industry Relations team also digitally transformed Personal Edge, a University program that helps students develop diversified employability skills to ensure students graduate work-ready, to make it available online.

“Supported by industry leaders, RMIT academics and RMIT alumni, Personal Edge has been digitalised and organised around six key skillsets which help students become creative thinkers, confident communicators, cross-cultural team players, ethical leaders, digital citizens, and career strategists,” Ms Spiga said.

news-3-rmit-turns-global-uncertainties-into-opportunities-for-students Real Talk, a Personal Edge workshop at RMIT, helped students find their career aspirations and bring them to life.

In RMIT’s semester two alone, Personal Edge workshops and guest speakers attracted more than 450 attendants.

“I used to be lost in my decisions, always unsure if the path that I was choosing was the right path for me or not. By attending a Personal Edge workshop, Real Talk, I was able to identify what I needed to do in order to motivate myself more and explore more options to find more opportunities,” shared a student after attending Real Talk: Find your Career Aspirations and Bring Them to Life.

The annual Career Fair which provides a platform to connect industry partners with the RMIT students and alumni community was also moved online in 2020. 

news-4-rmit-turns-global-uncertainties-into-opportunities-for-students The Virtual Career Fair attracted 340 students and alumni, and 20 companies from both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Ms Spiga said that the new format was welcomed by students and industry.

“Hundred of jobs from 20 companies from both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi were offered during the fair, and 387 students applied​ for them,” she said.

Bachelor of Communication (Professional Communication) student Nam Vu was very grateful for the opportunity “to have an extraordinary start in his career”.

“The information and positions available at the companies were well-presented and easy to access,” Nam said. “I’m so happy to get a job at Vero, an international digital marketing and public relations agency which has expanded their network over Asia.”

Human Resources Manager at CIMB Bank (Vietnam) and RMIT industry partner Do Tam Trang saw the Virtual Career Fair as a convenient, fast pace, and agile platform that brought a digital feel to participants.

“We felt connected and like we could ‘be’ with the students with just a click,” she said. “We were able to share our digital content quickly and easily.”

Ms Trang said that although “we like the traditional channel, we want the University to have more online recruitment activities because they help us reach more students”.

Story: Ha Hoang

  • Industry
  • Career development
  • Personal Edge

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