From the CEO

Welcome to the December edition of Quotient, SydneyTalent’s newsletter for industry partners and stakeholders.

Further to my message last month, the jobs market has continued to show signs of recovery. According to the latest ABS Labour Force figures, the number of people employed increased by 24,500 to 10.832 million. The rise in employment was driven by an increase in part-time employment, up 21,500 to 3.241 million, with full-time employment increasing 2,900 to 7.591 million people. As the market slowly recovers and the predicted skills shortage returns, SydneyTalent will continue to explore ways of connecting industry with outstanding and highly-skilled students and graduate students of the University of Sydney.

The release of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) Candidate Survey 2010 contained some interesting insights. Of the group surveyed currently attending university, nearly a quarter will graduate from university with no debts. Over half of the survey participants had received a scholarship, academic prize or received financial support from an employer. Training and development and long-term career prospects were considered ‘very important’ by 75 per cent of candidates when deciding which job offer to accept.

I would like to wish our potential and existing partners all the best for the holiday season ahead. We look forward to working with you in 2010. Stay tuned next year for exciting developments in our WorkReady series.

SydneyTalent always welcomes your feedback, ideas, and suggestions, and I invite you to send your thoughts via email to rachel.gleeson@usyd.edu.au, phone Rachel on (02) 8627 8619, or reach me directly at anne.moore@usyd.edu.au

Anne Moore

Chief Executive

Keeping it dynamic

In a demanding business environment in which the focus is increasingly shifting from survival to growth, waiting until the New Year to integrate new competencies isn’t for everyone. While many workplaces around the country are battling the ‘wind down’ mode that can easily prevail with Christmas in sight, smart organisations are keeping it dynamic with SydneyTalent employees – University of Sydney pre-graduates and graduates whose desire to impress and build great industry links isn’t tied to the calendar. Customised solutions are attractive at any time, but can be particularly effective for businesses looking to manage shifting holiday schedules without compromising on capability or agility.

“What attracted us to SydneyTalent was the ability to access quality students in a structured way that we knew protected the students and us,” said Gerald Thomas of leading management consultancy firm Sussex Partners. “The flexibility of changing the skill mix required as the project developed was also important.”

Given the range of sectors in which Sussex Partners is active, providing high-level strategic solutions to leadership groups across a diversity of very particular contexts, it is only natural that SydneyTalent’s brief centred around delivering versatile talent that could hit the ground running.

“The SydneyTalent employees fitted in very well and worked well with me. They brought in skills we did not have in design and content management,” said Mr Thomas. “At the outset we thought we needed a team of three, [but] we got a multi-talented project manager who covered two of the skill sets.”

Conscious of the proficiency-to-efficiency equation, SydneyTalent works hard to promote cross-skilling among its talent banks through delivering learning and development programs to students in their own time – programs that target the core competencies valued by employers regardless of specific industry sectors. The initiative also embraces the diversity that is the University of Sydney’s most powerful resource, and regularly places international students whose demonstrated initiative and general wealth of experience makes them valuable additions to modern Australian workforces seeking a global perspective.

“The position here has given me the opportunity to work in a multi-cultural environment,” said Jeff Glushakow of his work placement with international healthcare leader McKesson Asia-Pacific. Glushakow – who hails from the US and whose posting with McKesson as a Research Analyst has strong potential to go permanent – credits SydneyTalent with kick-starting his career despite challenging economic times. “SydneyTalent definitely accelerated my development by providing me with the opportunity to utilize everything I learned during my postgraduate studies and apply it in the workplace.”

Just as the right expertise and cultural fit is SydneyTalent’s predominant consideration on behalf of industry partners, so each student’s individual interests and professional aspirations are carefully considered in order to ensure that the experiential learning they acquire and execute in the workplace is both meaningful and rewarding. “SydneyTalent was able to place me in a role conducive to my career and personal goals. My job at McKesson has been challenging and fruitful and continues to evolve as I am given more responsibility. I also really like that SydneyTalent representatives continued to serve as a resource for me even after my time at McKesson had commenced,” Glushakow said.

HR Summit review

SydneyTalent Chief Executive Anne Moore addressed the recent HR Summit at Darling Harbour Convention Centre. Below is a brief summary of her keynote address.

“A major effect of endemic skills shortage is that it encourages a sort of ‘wealth gap’ between businesses. In terms of high calibre graduates, the haves have always prospered and the have-nots have always struggled. In the future this situation will be more extreme. The difference in fate going forward will not be ‘prosper’ or ‘struggle’ – it will be ‘survive’ or ‘fail’. The future will not be a level playing field.

Traditional models maintain that industry can take a passive approach to graduate engagement, and place the onus on young job seekers to prove themselves exceptional. But where demand for high calibre attainment and experience continues to outstrip supply, I suggest a more collaborative approach is not only desirable, but necessary.

Simply put, businesses must seize the opportunity to partner with Gen Y, and shape them towards a future that all parties can genuinely aspire to and be inspired by. This entails more than a mere alliance of means and ends – rather, a deeper coincidence of values and standards.  

This is crucial because our culture is increasingly producing young people who are values-driven, moved more by ideas than by metrics. At the same time they are being formed by a broader range of media and stimuli, making them more versatile and adaptable by many magnitudes than their parents.

But what are some specific strategies and perspectives for effective Gen Y engagement? Many organisations are implementing cultural changes with this question specifically in mind, but the current state of practice in most remains mixed. Flexible time arrangements, individualised work schedules, job sharing, and telecommuting (working primarily from home) are just some of the trends gaining workplace momentum. Two others that are inter-related, and that I believe are important to consider now, are the rise of cyclic work and the shift towards a “task, not time” understanding of work.

Cyclic work refers to the rapid increase in cyclical – that is, project-based – arrangements we will see in coming decades. It is a pattern that places a premium on flexibility and self-regulation, qualities that Gen Ys absolutely require in order to thrive. Preferring to alternate between periods of intense work and periods of leisure or learning, Gen Ys envisage themselves moving fluidly between organisations, managing their careers around a traffic of individual projects as opposed to open-ended employment. Given the costs associated with large numbers of permanent staff, the opportunities to industry that will accompany the rise of cyclic work are obvious.

Graduate recruitment

Graduate recruitment is reigniting as business looks to the future after the Global Financial Crisis.

SydneyTalent Chief Executive Anne Moore highlighted the change in tide for recruitment as the University of Sydney reported its adjusted enrolment figures for 2009.

“For the past 12 months businesses have experienced a rocky road as they retracted and stabilised their employment commitments. We now have two graduating years available to the marketplace as they slowly re-engage their employment programs for 2010,” Moore said.

The University of Sydney will have 13,244 students completing their degrees in 2009. They enter an employment marketplace in which 2008 graduates felt the full impact of the GFC.

SydneyTalent’s monitoring of first-back-to-market industries indicates that the ICT and Engineering sectors have been the first to re-commit based upon Australia’s ICT and infrastructure-led recovery program. The University of Sydney ushered 725 ICT and Engineering graduates into the marketplace in 2009, and currently has 3941 students enrolled in undergraduate and post-graduate ICT and Engineering courses.

“We have seen ICT and Engineering respond to graduate and undergraduate employment options faster than other sectors. This is proving to be a result of their flexible employment models and their need to acquire talent early for long-term projects,” Moore said.

Professional Services firms have traditionally conducted strong graduate recruitment programs with universities such as the University of Sydney. Due to global hiring freezes, many of these companies deployed a range of responses – reduced work hours for staff, cessation or reduction of graduate recruitment programs for 2009, and rolling redundancies as they managed the impact of the GFC.

“We are now seeing a turning of the tide with the Professional Services firms as they re-engage their employment programs. This is being done in reverse order to what was seen 12 months ago. Those with reduced hours are being brought back to full pay and hours. Employment of critical and key middle management staff on a needs basis is happening cautiously, and graduate recruitment programs are slowly being geared up,” Moore points out.

“Where graduate programs are still on hold, ‘try before you buy’ options such as holiday contract programs and part-time project contracts are proving very attractive. These short term options provide a secure and risk-free entry back into the graduate and talent acquisition market for business.”

The SydneyTalent team has a coalface view of the next generation of employees, and the new era of employment for business and the tertiary sector.

Anne Moore alerts organisations to the re-emergence of the skills shortage debate as business comes through the impact of the international downturn, and has observed a new emphasis upon effective succession planning.

“Already we are recognising that the ICT and Energy sector are flagging generational skills shortages, particularly in terms of meeting Australia’s smart grid commitments. We need to be mindful that key industries are still exposed to specific skills shortages, which are only going to increase over the coming years. Industry engagement with university in developing a new generation of work-ready talent is critical if growth opportunities are to be met.”

Team member profile

Jane Oakeshott, Client Engagement Manager

In each edition of Quotient, we introduce you to a member of the highly-qualified and capable SydneyTalent team. Our profile this month is Client Engagement Manager Jane Oakeshott.

As a SydneyTalent Client Engagement Manager, Jane leverages a career built upon a deep understanding of organisational cultures to develop outstanding opportunities for the graduates and pre-graduates of the University. Formerly a solicitor for the Director of Public Prosecutions, SydneyTalent’s senior industry liaison manager also has investigative experience with the NSW Ombudsman’s Office and the former National Crime Authority.

“Before joining SydneyTalent, I spent four years in executive search,” Jane says. “I thrived on the diversity, sourcing outstanding individuals for both the private and public sector, and working across sectors as diverse as finance, engineering, mining, education, and law. Managers, directors, a vice-chancellor, CFOs, CEOs, COOs – you name it, really.”

Given the diversity of her CV, it is little surprise that Jane was also comfortable in a modern campus environment. As a researcher and tutor in business and trade practices law with the Faculty of Economics and Business, she knows first-hand the pressures that attend academic training. “Today’s pre-graduates are under incredible pressures. Fortunately, they’re also equipped with unprecedented skill sets. It’s easy to be passionate about SydneyTalent because I see directly the results that flow from early industry engagement with young people. It’s about empowerment – students have an outlet for their enthusiasm and ideas, and in return they get to explore a broader range of options while developing lifelong transferrable skills through our WorkReady skills development programme. Importantly, from the business perspective, SydneyTalent provides a business solution in addressing the aging workforce and skills shortage issues.”

As a graduate of the University of Sydney (BA/LLB) and Macquarie (Grad Dip – Education), and with experience in curriculum development for the Law Extension Committee, Jane is well qualified to speak on the demands placed on today’s student body. Fortunately, this also enables her to work towards pioneering new solutions to maximise the overall student experience.

SydneyTalent employee profiles

As part of our commitment to placing outstanding student employees in roles which match their skills, each edition of Quotient includes three profiles of student candidates in the Emerging, Advanced and Specialised Talent categories.

Emerging Talent – Louise

Louise is a diligent and reliable first year student with a willing ‘can-do’ attitude. She has acquired a good overview of how a finance function operates during her gap year, during which she worked as a Finance Trainee at Carbonne Council. She has basic skills in accounts receivable and accounts payable, as well as payroll and general accounting administration.

At interview, Louise impressed with her strong work ethic and general self-awareness. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in Accounting, and in her first semester attained a number of High Distinctions. In my opinion, Louise would be a fantastic asset to any finance team.

Advanced Talent – Leasha

Leasha is a mature and confident individual with a true passion for Human Resource Management. Having recently completed a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in HRM, Leasha is expanding her knowledge by undertaking a Master in Labour Law and Employment Relations.

Leasha has underpinned her theoretical knowledge with sound administrative and research experience and, most recently, in a temporary role in Human Resources at the University of Sydney. The seven months Leasha spent working in Enterprise Bargaining involved a position of immense responsibility that called for a gifted multi-tasker. Leasha worked in a systematic and focused manner, negotiating what was a highly challenging and fast-paced environment. She earned a significant level of trust and proved a resilient and adaptable employee.

In summary, Leasha is a very capable postgraduate with first class communication skills, coupled with the ability to think in a logical and reasoned manner. I have no hesitation in recommending Leasha for a role within her chosen career path.

Specialised Talent – Jonathan

Jonathan is an experienced postgraduate who not only possesses the intellectual horsepower crucial to any project-based professional environment, but also brings an impressive range of ‘soft skills’ to the table.

Having performed well in his ‘A’ Level subjects – Maths, Physics, Physical Education – Jonathan went on to succeed in a BSc (Hons) in Sports Technology, with most of his core subjects being Engineering-aligned. While in the UK he successfully completed a one-year industrial placement as a Materials Engineer with Airbus UK, where he was responsible for the ongoing management of a number of complex projects. In recognition of his contribution, he was the only student to be given an Airbus-sponsored project upon returning to University.

After graduation, Jonathan gained further valuable experience working as a Systems Tester within a small product development team. Here he valued the opportunity to take ownership of work from inception through to successful delivery, and thrived in an environment where he was involved in ‘something he could put his name to’.

Having moved to Australia last year with his family, Jonathan has recently completed seven weeks’ experience through his own networks with KPMG in IT Audit. Jonathan is currently studying a Master of Commerce with a major in Business Information.

SydneyTalent Milestones

Students placed

SydneyTalent recently achieved a significant milestone, having currently placed 20% of registered student employees across our nine targeted industry sectors from a standing start at the beginning of the year.

These industry sectors are –
finance and banking, professional services, technology, consumer, natural resources and environment, infrastructure and manufacturing, public sector, health, and not-for-profit.

Since inception, SydneyTalent has found employment for 622 student employees, 355 in this year alone. Currently, there are 143 roles being filled by SydneyTalent student employees.

SydneyTalent in the Media

List of current articles

SydneyTalent achieves high satisfaction rating

The recent University of Sydney’s Professional and Research Services Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey returned some impressive and positive results for SydneyTalent.

SydneyTalent improved its satisfaction ratings across all seven criteria, doubling its 2008 satisfaction rating in two key areas – ‘Policies and Processes’ and ‘The use of technology to deliver its services.’

The ratings were –

• SydneyTalent responds quickly to requests and questions – 77%
• SydneyTalent actively looks for ways to improve its service – 74%
• SydneyTalent provides services quickly and efficiently – 76%
• SydneyTalent makes good use of technology to deliver services – 70%
• The policies and processes used by SydneyTalent are efficient and well designed – 64%
• Staff within SydneyTalent do their job well – 74%
• Overall, I am satisfied with the service from SydneyTalent – 70%

Chief Executive Anne Moore said the SydneyTalent team was already workshopping new ways to improve results in each category, and in SydneyTalent’s overall satisfaction rating.

“Our team is 100% focused on improving levels of service right across the board, but particularly in improving awareness of SydneyTalent within the University of Sydney. We are also deeply committed to understanding how we can help faculties to find work for their students, either while studying or upon graduation,” she said.

“The past 12 months has been a busy, positive, and exciting time for our team as we consolidated upon the headway made during 2008.”

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