Student employability programs

INTERCHANGE is the foremost virtual Employability and Entrepreneurship Challenge in NSW.

• Applications open for 2024: TBC
  

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

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

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

The program includes:

• Virtual Summits and Virtual Mastermind sessions touching on topics such as Teamwork, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, Communication and Pitching Skills, Presentation skills and more.
  
• TedX style keynote presentations 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 INTERCHANGE 2023? 
 
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 networks with students from other Australian universities - working and learning together in teams.

Solve real-world problems
Your team will work 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. 

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

You will participate virtually in events with your team members. You will be part of a unique and fast-paced learning journey.

You will learn by doing and 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 2023 program, so you can recognise your own progress.

WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT?

The program will commence on Saturday 22 July 2023 and conclude on Thursday 3 August 2023 with a Virtual Pitch Event, where five shortlisted teams will present 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) – 3 hours
2.  Summits and Masterclass sessions – Minimum 3 hours
3. Final Pitch Night (compulsory) - 3 hours
4. Teamwork meetings and tasks - 15 hours
    

KEY PROGRAM DATES - Attendance is compulsory for all dates below.  Check out the  INTERCHANGE 2023 Schedule  for a detailed overview of each virtual event.

DAY 1: Saturday 22 July, 10 am - 1 pm, In-person Orientation Day at University of Sydney. Attendance is compulsory. Failure to attend this event without prior notification will make you ineligible to continue with the program
DAY 2: Saturday 29 July, 10 am - 1 pm,  Virtual Launch Summit on Zoom (compulsory)
DAY 3: Tuesday 1 August, time TBC, Optional Virtual Masterclass on Pitching Skills
3-minute video pitch due 12 pm this day
DAY 4: Thursday 3 August, 5 - 8 pm, in-person Pitch and Graduation Event in Sydney (compulsory) 

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