Employers and Educators Embrace Gold Coast Student Jobs Website
Since launching in November last year the Gold Coast Student Jobs website has listed thousands of local jobs for full time, part time, apprenticeship, traineeship and casual positions, along with internship and work experience opportunities.
The site has been overwhelmingly well received by students, employers and the education sector. Karen Dickinson, TAFE Queensland Gold Coast General Manager sees the new platform as an exciting development for both students and employers:
“The Gold Coast Student Jobs site has effectively
streamlined the employment process for students by connecting them directly with businesses looking for entry level employees with their particular industry skillsets. Employers now have targeted access to job-ready students who are eager to learn and build on their skills while having the education and training to get started with minimal support required.”
Currently the top five industries for employment as listed by the site are:
1. Trades and services
2. Health
3. Manufacturing and industrial
4. Hospitality and tourism
5. Education and training
Despite the downturn in tourism and hospitality from COVID-19, particularly from the border closures last year, the sector is already showing promising signs of recovery in 2021 with an increasing number of job listings on the Student Jobs site. Small businesses also continue to grow, like local creative agency Cooper and Westwood. Over the past 12 months they have engaged six interns, with three of them being offered full time roles within the agency. The most recent is Drishya Prasad, a marketing graduate from Griffith University, who discovered the internship opportunity through the Gold Coast Student Jobs website.
“Having a website that lists available internship opportunities not only makes the search much easier and far less time consuming, but also improves your chances of securing a full time role as I’ve just done.”
With trades and services listing more opportunities on the site, businesses in the sector have been keen to take advantage by tapping into the local talent pool, as Assent Carpentry and Building Services owner Adam Cameron explains:
“Being able to advertise without cost through the site while having direct access to local talent is a no brainer. I think a lot of tradies would do the same to source trainees and labourers this way.”
For Adam, it’s more than just about sourcing labour or apprentices, he says it’s about giving something back and reinvesting in the industry. “I can have up to two apprentices on the go at once, it all comes down to timing. It feeds back into the sector by imparting your knowledge and experience. It’s a commitment, not just a trade commitment, but a personal one for me.”
While the platform undoubtedly benefits local students and employers alike, Karen Dickinson also sees the launch of the Gold Coast Student Jobs site from a big picture perspective.
“Because the site caters specifically for Gold Coast students and employers it ensures our skilled workforce remains in the region, which is essential to the growth and development of our city”, says the TAFE Queensland Gold Coast General Manager.
“Our students now have a greater chance of finding job opportunities on the Gold Coast, which allows them to live, learn and earn locally while giving back to the wider community.”