In recent years, I have seen that most students pursue their higher education, not just to prepare for their careers, but to also learn and expand their personality. The realm of education has broadened its horizons and extended its reach. Individual talents can be honed by looking beyond classroom situations, curating a system that accommodates the right atmosphere for development. This environment should ideally strike a fine balance between scholastic and co-scholastic activities. Learning through hands-on experience should thus, be aimed at encouraging students to apply their knowledge to everyday life situations, in a safe and secure avenues.
In this two-part blog series; I will introduce you to the various avenues provided by at The University of New South Wales (UNSW), a powerhouse of education and research. In the first part, I shall discuss Internships and Volunteering opportunities for students offered by the university.
Internships:
Internships are a proven way to gain relevant knowledge, skills, and experience. It establishes important connections in the field, while also gauging if it is one that can be explored as a full-time career avenue. It not only helps develop professional skills and confidence in a professional setting, but also provides exposure to a preferred industry to significantly enhance employability. From my experience, in today’s competitive job market, employers largely rely on profiles that illustrate relevant work experience, be it through internships, volunteer work, or a full-time job.
At UNSW, internships are promoted with the UNSW Advantage, wherein most of these programs like — Co-NNECTIONS, Graduate Advantage, Industry Training, UNSW Co-op Program, Internships, Arc @ UNSW, and UNSW Professional Development Workplace Experience Program, are accredited as eligible for recognition on your Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).
To know more about this plethora of internship programs offered by UNSW, visit — https://student.unsw.edu.au/internships
You may also want to read: Top 10 Reasons to Study Engineering at UNSW
Student Volunteering
Volunteering is another way for students to get hands-on experience outside of one’s university, while also contributing to the community’s welfare. I have seen how students can gain experience in their area of study, or tap into other spaces while acquiring noteworthy skills in leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and communication, which are very useful for enhancing employability.
UNSW has Volunteering programmes and fairs that constantly encourage us to join renowned non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and participate in their noble initiatives. These opportunities include — Executive Positions with Clubs & Societies, Committees and Councils, Becoming a Peer Mentor or Tutor, Student Ambassadors, and Community and Overseas Volunteering.
Most of these opportunities are accredited by UNSW Advantage and eligible for recognition on your Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS). The UNSW Global Education Office provides further support to students who wish to take advantage of these opportunities.
To know more, visit — https://student.unsw.edu.au/volunteer
Watch this space for the second part of this blog, where I will provide insights into more avenues offered by UNSW like — Student Mentoring and Research.
