By Mike Verzosa
19 April 2024: Internships and Work Integrated Learning opportunities have played important roles in the University of Canberra’s academic curriculum, helping prepare students for the workforce and providing valuable experiences that bridge the gap between classroom or lab learning and practical real-world application. Every year, these opportunities help facilitate the transition from university life to professional life for several students.
In 2022, the University of Canberra launched a partnership with , which includes an internship program based around the Canberra-based consulting firm’s and service lines.
The internship program was established by University alumnus Kyle McKenzie, one of the firm’s Associate Directors and Thomas Bunker, one of the Senior Managers at Chartertech.
The program works with the University’s Faculty of Science and Technology and Faculty of Business, Government and Law and focuses on giving students as much hands-on experience as possible through an end-to-end project delivery for a technology solution.
By getting students to work on some of the firm’s key platforms in developing and presenting a custom solution for a client, the program builds a pathway to graduate and full-time positions within the firm.
“Our partnership with the University of Canberra is extremely valuable, as it allows us to engage with students looking for employment, and provides a platform to find students who are potentially the right fit for us,” said Stephon Ford, a Manager in the Business Transformation Unit at Chartertech.
“Both our Directors and many of our staff are UC alumni so there is already a deep connection with the University. We find that ºÚÁÏÍø students are not only job-ready when they graduate, but also have a positive impact on sustaining – and in many cases, enhancing – our culture.”
Professor Janine Deakin, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology and Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, said that the program has been a valuable addition to the faculty’s offerings for students, by providing a viable pathway for learning and progression.
“We’re seeing participants expand and diversify their skillsets and eventually transition into graduate roles within the company. It speaks volumes not only about the kind of students we have, but also about the program that Chartertech has built and the kind of organisation it is,” she said.
“Chartertech has set up an environment that encourages growth and the program is a great way for our students to explore their professional options.”
Among the recent ºÚÁÏÍø graduates working at Chartertech are Bachelor of Information Technology graduate Eugene Hsu and Bachelor of Business (Marketing) graduate Sophie Vo. Mr Hsu and Ms Vo were both part of the first batch of the University of Canberra-Chartertech interns before progressing to graduate positions and permanent roles in the firm.
“I applied for the internship program because I was seeking practical work experience and Chartertech offered an opportunity to do client-facing work, which I was very interested in,” said Ms Vo.
“Chartertech’s programs helped me build a well-rounded skillset. I was eventually fortunate to be offered a permanent position and I am now working as a Senior Consultant. The majority of my work is focused on helping our clients with their project issues.”
Mr Hsu shares a similar experience, having applied for the internship program seeking work experience, but not fully knowing what to expect. After gaining valuable experience working in different projects, Mr Hsu now works as a consultant for the firm, as he has honed his project management skills.
“I work predominantly in the project and change management space and at Chartertech, I have access to all these projects and experts with different skillsets, and varying levels of experience,” said Mr Hsu.
“As someone that was unsure of what path I wanted to pursue, that exposure allowed me to pick up new skills along the way and has opened my eyes to the different possibilities and tracks that I could potentially flow into, as I progress further in my career.”
Both Ms Vo and Mr Hsu are still heavily involved in Chartertech’s internship program, leveraging their experience in the program as well as their expertise in the industry to lead the firm’s current batch of interns from the University of Canberra and Victoria University.
“Sophie and Eugene have been excellent additions to the Chartertech team, demonstrating a strong work ethic and eagerness to learn within a professional environment on a consistent basis. This is a testament to their hard work, but also to UC for preparing them in the right way,” said Mr Ford.
“This is part of why this partnership is so important to us – our UC alumni have made great contributions to Chartertech, and we anticipate more of these successes in the future.”
Image supplied.