Student employability programs

INTERCHANGE 2022 is the foremost Virtual Employability and Entrepreneurship Challenge in NSW.

• Applications now open and will close midnight 11 May 2022

• Participation is open to all international students, including students currently living overseas.

CHANGE YOURSELF, CHANGE THE WORLD 
 
INTERCHANGE is a virtual employability and entrepreneurship program that will introduce you to the world of entrepreneurship and innovation, whilst at the same time providing you with critical work experience for your resume and future job applications.

The program is for you if you want to build your career confidence. 

You do not need to have had any experience with entrepreneurship and innovation to participate. It is designed to help you upskill to become work-ready and start-up savvy over a fast paced, intense five week period. 

The program includes:

• Virtual Summits & Virtual Mastermind sessions touching on topics such as Teamwork, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Communication & Pitching Skills, Presentation skills and more.
  
• TedX style keynote presentation by successful entrepreneurs and leaders
• Virtual tours of International and local incubators and co-working spaces
• Team meet-ups with students from 6 other universities

WHAT WILL YOU GET FROM THE INTERCHANGE 2022? 
 
Work in diverse teams
The program brings together 250 students from 7 different educational institutions. It is the only program which gives you the opportunity to build friendships and networks with students from other Australian universities - working and learning together in mixed teams.

Solve real-world problems
You will work in multidisciplinary teams with prominent business mentors to solve real-world problems like Sustainability, Smart Cities and the Future of Work. You will develop key employability skills including start-up strategies, communication, technology innovation, leadership, business agility and networking. 

As a student team, you will take part in a ‘pitchfest’ demonstration at the end of the Challenge. 

"This was an enormous opportunity for me to explore some of my hidden talents and at the same time mix with hundreds of students who had similar passions. This experience will undoubtedly be helpful for my academic success too.” (INTERCHANGE participant)

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

This is a Virtual Challenge; where you will participate virtually in events and work virtually with your team members. You will be part of a unique, fast-paced and action-packed learning journey.

You will learn by doing, working as part of a team; your challenge is to identify a problem and solve it.

This Virtual Employability and Entrepreneurship Challenge will conclude with 5 shortlisted teams doing an online pitch in front of a panel of judges. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 teams.

Along the way, you will benefit from the support and experience of leading facilitators, a team mentor, and expert guest speakers. You will also have the opportunity to assess your skills at the start and end of the INTERCHANGE 2022 program, so you can recognise your own progress.

WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT?

The program will commence on Friday 8 July 2022 and conclude on Thursday 4 August 2022 with a Virtual Pitch Event where 5 shortlisted teams will present their video pitch in front of an accomplished judging panel, for the chance to win amazing prizes. 

During the 5 week program, you are expected to commit to a minimum of 30 hours: 

1. Orientation session (compulsory) – 2 hours
2.  Summits and Mastermind session over three Saturday afternoons (compulsory) – 9 hours total
3. Final Pitch Night (compulsory) - 4 hours
4. Teamwork meetings and tasks - 15 hours
    

KEY PROGRAM DATES - Attendance is compulsory for all dates below.  Check out the  INTERCHANGE 2022 Schedule  for a detailed overview of each virtual event.

DAY 1: Friday 8 July, 1.30 - 3.30pm, Virtual Orientation on Zoom (Failure to attend this event without prior notification will result in you being ineligible for the remainder of the program) 
DAY 2: Saturday 16 July, 1.30 - 4.30pm,  Virtual Summit on Zoom 
DAY 3: Saturday 23 July, 1.30 - 4.45pm, Virtual Summit on Zoom 
DAY 4: Saturday 30 July, 1.30 - 4.30pm, Virtual Summit on Zoom 
DAY 5: Thursday 4 August, 5 - 8pm, Virtual Summit on Zoom

Apply now

Applications close midnight Wednesday 11 May 2022

The program is supported by StudyNSW.  It is free to you.

Participating organisations are: Australian Catholic University, Central Queensland University, Torrens University, University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney, University of New South Wales and Western Sydney University.

You may visit INTERCHANGE for more information and follow Franked.io on LinkedIn for updates of the program. 

For enquiries, please contact careers.information@sydney.edu. 

The next Graduate Edge program will be held in 2023

• A unique opportunity to gain key insights into the world of business and a competitive edge applying to internships and graduate roles
• Open to undergraduate students who will be in the penultimate or mid-degree stage of their studies in 2023, from the following disciplines:
  Business, Engineering and Computer Science, Science, Law, Arts and Social Sciences, Agriculture and Environment, and Architecture, Design and Planning

Thinking ahead to vacation or graduate positions? Keen to gain exposure to graduate employers and insight into the skills they seek? Graduate Edge is an exceptional program to help you build personal and professional skills sought by internship and graduate employers.

About the program: 

The Careers Centre has partnered with leaders in industry to bring you a program of interactive virtual sessions where you will learn key employability skills and connect with industry representatives. The sessions are conducted virtually, offering you a unique opportunity to learn from major employers of graduates including Deloitte, EY, Salesforce, KPMG and LinkedIn.

Program benefits:

• Corporate Insight: A rare opportunity to learn more about the business world, including values and culture.
• Professional Skills Development: Build your employability skills sought by employers, including communication, personal branding, consulting and networking.
• Connect with Graduate Employers: Hear directly from recruiters about what they look for in future interns and graduates.
• Enrich Your Resume: Gain unique evidence of skills sought by employers to build a competitive resume.

Graduate Edge will be a full time commitment for one week during February (dates to be confirmed). Students are required to attend all program sessions to meet program participation requirements. 

Who can apply:

The program is open to motivated and enthusiastic undergraduate students from the Business School, Engineering and Information Technology, Science, Law, Arts and Social Sciences, Agriculture and Environment, and Architecture, Design and Planning, who meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Penultimate or mid-degree undergraduate student in 2023
• Academic achievement demonstrated through a credit average or above
• Extracurricular involvement demonstrated through high school, university or community activities (may include leadership, sporting or humanitarian achievements)
• Interest in clarifying career direction and goals
• Work experience desirable (casual work, internships or other employment)
• Able to commit full time during the week of the program, attending all sessions

View the 2021 Graduate Edge schedule to see employers who have participated previously and the topics covered.