Above and Beyond – Recipients of the Employability Award

27 Jul 2020

Fifty-three University of Queensland students are due to graduate this semester with more than just a degree after achieving the Employability Award.

The Employability Award is presented upon graduation and recognises a student’s enhanced employability development through their contributions to volunteering, work experience and extra-curricular activities within UQ and the wider community.

The program is coordinated by the Student Employability Centre and is available to all undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students who wish to develop their employability through engaging in a diverse range of extra-curricular experiences.

Based on the concept of experiential learning, and aligning closely with the UQ Employability Framework, the program encourages students to participate in and reflect on experiences to understand what capabilities and attributes they have developed. The program culminates in an application and interview process where applicants demonstrate their ability to effectively communicate their employability during the recruitment process and beyond.

Employability Award recipient Haarika Chittoory is nearing the end of a Master of Biotechnology Research Extensive at the University and said the highlight of her experience was gaining the ability to network with others.

“This program helped me develop so many interpersonal skills and gain the self-confidence to pursue my dreams,” Chittoory said.

“I am now in the practice of reflective thinking and learning and would definitely urge students to stay competitive and complete all the activities because it is absolutely worth it”.

In addition to the many other benefits associated with the Award program, recipients will be issued with a certificate upon graduation and have the Employability Award listed as a Special Achievement on their academic transcript.