Employability Connect
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Graduates are required to show prospective employers that they're able to work in a professional environment. Internships are a great way to develop transferable skills and to apply what you've studied in a workplace environment.
Benefits
An internship will:
- allow you to develop essential, transferable skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving
- give you a taste of your potential career and help you understand your career direction
- enhance your chances of gaining a graduate position upon completion of your degree.
Vocational internships for academic credit
Undergraduate students
Macquarie's PACE (Professional and Community Engagement) Program is dedicated to providing opportunities for students across all disciplines to engage with the community through a range of workplace activities.
Postgraduate students
A number of Masters degrees offer internships to students as part of their study program, including:
Faculty of Arts
Macquarie Business School
Postgraduate students who have space in their degree program are eligible to apply for the unit MGMT8080 in their flexible zone. As a first step, interested students can check with Macquarie Business School Student Services to see if they are eligible to do MGMT8080.
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Paid internships
Search for paid internship opportunities through:
- Employability Connect (Macquarie's online job board)
- Job websites
- GradConnection
- GradAustralia
- ACS Foundation Scholarship
- Student Internships
- Directly contacting employers in your field of interest
- Using your network and employer presentations here on campus (see events section on Employability Connect).
Unpaid internships
The best way to undertake an unpaid internship is through your PACE unit. Every undergraduate course, and even some postgraduate ones, include a PACE unit. This reflects the importance placed on the development of your employability and professional skills as part of your studies.
A PACE activity helps you build employability skills and prepares you for transition to the workplace after graduation. You can make the most of your learning experience by reflecting on your PACE activity and using this information to build a strong resume and develop a career plan. There are so many PACE activity options, like internships, research projects, fieldwork, community development projects, practicums and industry projects. Your activity will vary based on your discipline and PACE unit.
Search for PACE internship opportunities on our online job board Employability Connect.
Please be aware that according to the Fair Work Ombudsman, unpaid internships should only be of observatory nature within a business environment. If you are required to perform productive activities within a business, you would be considered an employee and be entitled to be paid as such.
Volunteering Opportunities
The best way to find the volunteering opportunity that’s right for you is to join the Global Leadership Program (GLP). The GLP responsible volunteering can help you find and prepare for your volunteer placement. Take a look at the Responsible Volunteering Guide for more information.
Support and resources
Visit Employability Connect to:
- attend a workshop
- attend an employer presentation
- book an appointment
- have your resume and cover letter reviewed
- search for jobs
- create your ePortfolio
Virtual learning experiences & virtual internships
Self-driven exercises commonly called ‘virtual learning experiences’ are available online. They are short online courses from top tier global firms. The exercises, which can range from 2-8 hours to complete, simulate some aspect of work that the company does.
A virtual internship, on the other hand, is work integrated learning that is aligned more closely to your academic studies. They also are longer in duration, include regular meetings with a supervisor, and allow you more opportunities to learn more about the company.
Completing an employer's virtual learning experience will make you an attractive candidate for their paid opportunities, give you insight into potential careers, and prepare you for what to expect in your PACE unit.
While there are several providers of virtual learning experiences, Macquarie has a relationship with The Forage, a leading provider with projects from organisations such as Red Bull, PwC, Accenture, Deloitte, and others. MQ Business School features a tailored Forage landing page with curated projects for students. In addition, some units in the Business School contain Forage modules as part of their curriculum.
Modules on the site cover many areas of work. After you complete one of them:
- you can compare your finished work to a company employee doing the same task to see how well you did
- receive a certificate of completion for your resume and LinkedIn profile, and
- upload your resume onto Forage for an opportunity to interact with company recruiters.
Companies update their projects on a rotating basis.
Other websites that provide virtual learning experiences or virtual internships include:
Student blogs
Read our student blogs to learn more about internships.