WorkReady Workshops - Participant testimonials

Back to WorkReady Workshops Overview

Click here to book a Workshop

All SydneyTalent workshops are now advertised via the Careers Centre events calendar. Please log in to the Careers Centre using your student unikey and password to view the events calendar and make a booking.

Jun Im

Bachelor of Economics
Completed 4 of 5 WorkReady Essentials workshops

I decided to join different workshops provided by SydneyTalent to gain some workplace insights. I expected it to be boring however after my very first workshop session my expectation was wrong which made me join all other workshops available. Each workshop is full of activities and valuable discussions which make people fully participate and engage with the workshop. Both co-ordinators, Vanessa and Kirsty, are very good communicators and they run sessions very smoothly.

If you are looking to gain useful information, knowledge and ideas that you can practically apply to your workplaces as well as your studies, I'd strongly recommend SydneyTalent Workshop sessions.

Brooklyn Sulaeman

Previous student employee - Qantas Airways Ltd
Current student employee - Sanofi-aventis
Completed all 5 WorkReady Essentials workshops

“SydneyTalent’s Workready Essential workshops have been quite helpful... I spread mine throughout the year but I would encourage others to start right at the beginning. It’s really good to dig into those topics early on. I didn’t really know any other organisation that trains you up before you start. It was really good to tap into that resource.”

EJ Gamboa

Bachelor of Arts (Ateneo de Manila University)
Masters of Publishing (Current - University of Sydney)
Completed all 5 WorkReady Essentials workshops and 1 WorkReady Foundations workshop

“I don't understand why SydneyTalent's WorkReady workshops are free. I imagine that many companies would invest quite a bit of money to provide their employees with the same, professional-grade training. And for all the benefits this training offers, they would be right to do so.

SydneyTalent's WorkReady Foundations and WorkReady Essentials workshops can help students and experienced professionals alike. The selected studies and exercises, as well as the insight of skilled facilitators like Kirsty Green and Vanessa Bugge, equip you with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential in the Australian and global workplace. They also allow you to gain a deeper understanding of your personality, skill set, strengths, and weaknesses, so you can improve and better adapt to different work environments. And since the workshops' exercises are relevant to almost any industry, you gain the confidence to cope with various similar, real-world situations that challenge even seasoned professionals.

SydneyTalent has a knack for identifying the fundamentals for success in the workplace, and motivating you to develop them further. I highly recommend their workshops for any student or professional looking to gain a competitive edge in the workplace.”

James Somers

Previous student employee- Analyst Programmer, ICT University of Sydney
Completed all 5 WorkReady Essentials workshops

"The WorkReady Essentials program provided me with an opportunity to focus on my self awareness and engage with experienced professionals who positively influenced and guided changes in my professional development.

I have always been a self motivated learner and the WorkReady Essentials program helped me to coalesce my current habits with fresh, new perspectives to keep motivated for a life long self development program - making me not just a better employee but a better individual to work in a team with, lead and be led by."

Joy Enriquez

Previous student employee- ICT University of Sydney
Completed 4 WorkReady Essentials workshops

“The online modules were really impressive and so were the workshops because they did get me to meet a lot of the different students that were placed around the university in other areas too. It was just good to meet other students who were in the same position looking for work, just coming out of their degree… It was also good with skills development which was what I think a lot of employers are looking for … people who they know are equipped for work not just in their head - a lot of it is people skills and administration skills.”

Anthony Ursino

Current student employee - Office of the General Counsel, University of Sydney

“The ‘interpersonal communication in the workplace’ training course consolidated and enhanced my communication skills in the workplace. This course provided me with the tools to avoid communication breakdown and confusion, an apparently commonplace scenario in the workplace. Questions like when to email, phone or use face-to-face communication channels were played out and answered, according to level of importance or urgency. The training taught me how to balance the two conflicting communication issues in the workplace, so for example, if you consistently go and see your co-worker, you may be annoying or be seen to be unable to work independently. Whereas on the other hand, avoiding communication altogether can produce undesired outcomes to the required task and contribute to poor performance. This course taught me how to get the balance right.

These courses are essential to development of interpersonal skills. They provide a practical and contextual approach to the modern workplace.”

WorkReady Essentials Intensive Program July 2010 – Student interviews

Interview with Deepak Sachdev (workshop participant)

Interviewer: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and the degree you are doing?

Deepak: I’m Deepak Sachdev and I am here from India. I am a qualified travel consultant and I wanted to specialise in international business. That’s what brought me here. I am presently studying a Masters in International Business / Masters Commerce, where I have found my love for finance- so I am specialising mainly in finance and international business here.

Interviewer: Why did you attend these workshops, Deepak?

Deepak: I have worked for a short while for a few MNCs back in India. I did not find many differences between working in India and here, maybe because I was working in MNCs. But I did find these workshops very useful for looking at and categorising different workplace values, and for learning the skills which are actually needed. The workshops were actually a revision for me, because I will start working again soon.

Interviewer: What were some of the most important things that you picked up throughout the program?

Deepak: I really like the planning and time management workshop and the self awareness one, because the more you know about yourself, the more you can manage and perform.

Interviewer: Had you ever experienced workshops like this, in an intensive program before?

Deepak: Not workshops like this- but yes, some workshops that are taken care of by the MNCs that I have worked for.

Interviewer: So it is almost like training that you would expect to find in the workplace?

Deepak: Exactly!

Interviewer: Just finally, I can ask you to summarise for me what you would recommend of the program. Would you recommend the program and what would you tell other students?

Deepak: I would strongly recommend the workshops- not only to people who have never worked before, but for people who have worked before. For me it was a good revision of these skills – they are very practical, they are needed, in a cross cultural environment definitely, but even if it’s at your home or in the same culture you’ve been working in – you still really need these skills.

Interview with Marina Martinova (workshop participant)

Marina: Hello. I’m Marina Martinova. I’m from Kazakstan. I’m an international student. I am continuing my Masters in logistics management, first year. And I decided to enter these courses to find a job and this is a great opportunity to work on some skills, to know yourself and apply these to a future job.

Interviewer: Excellent. I think you’ve taken the right step towards achieving that. Which of the workshops resonates with you the most? Which do you feel has been most useful for your development and why?

Marina: The most important is self-awareness and communication skills because before you enter any job you need to know what your preferences are, what your values and goals are, and then based on your goals and your values you can communicate better, you can find like-minded people in the workplace and already you know how to communicate with them. You know there are different personalities and you know how to deal with this. I think this is the most important.

Interviewer: And do you think the workshop was useful in helping you practise those skills?

Marina: Yes, it was actually very useful for me because I have never been able to establish some goals or understand how I have to plan and organise my day and any kind of steps in work. And I find it’s very useful because now I know what I have to do; how I have to deal with this situation or that situation and how I can manage with the teamwork.