News

Plans to move away from family and friends in pursuit of further education in Australia met an unexpected change of direction for 25-year-old Ananday (Andy) Khandelwal from India.

After missing an admissions deadline in Perth for a Bachelor of Nursing, Andy discovered the Gold Coast, a city that has provided him with an exceptional education and lifestyle experience with many employment and career opportunities. 

For the first time in its history the City of Gold Coast has launched a program which aims to attract more university graduates to help shape the city’s future. There are 25 positions available across a wide variety of streams, including engineering; digital and data; business and management; environment; sustainability; and planning.

The City’s Graduate Academy is a 12-month structured early career development initiative providing professional development training and on-the-job experience opportunities for enthusiastic university graduates. 

With over 20 years’ experience in construction, Amanda Bulow is a pioneer in that industry and is now helping other women to follow in her footsteps through her not-for-profit organisation Awesome Women in Construction.

“I grew up on 80 acres of farmland near Ipswich where there were no ‘boy or girl jobs' – just jobs, and you had to do them. It was my first experience of equality, without knowing what that was at the time,” Amanda says.

“I was lucky to have many great female role models as leaders when I was growing up. I was taught that I could do whatever I wanted and be whoever I wanted to be, and if that door’s not open, we can kick it open.”

In 2021 the Pakistan Government launched the National Amateur Short Film Festival to find their best emerging film makers and offer them a scholarship to study abroad, enhancing their knowledge and skills to bring back new ideas and ignite Pakistan’s film industry.

The NASFF received more than 1100 entries from 72 universities across the country and while the students may have entered not knowing what to expect it was certainly an opportunity to be part of something special, possibly even transformational.

Study Gold Coast’s Careers Alliance Network connects professional career influencers with industry to leverage and optimise career pathways for students. The program widens the scope of employment options for students and graduates through the creation of professional networking and partnership development opportunities.

The most recent Careers Alliance event focused on the Gold Coast’s advanced manufacturing sector and was held at the Australian Industry Trade College, an industry established institution that helps young people to pursue their chosen careers through apprenticeships and traineeships.   

Representatives from three Gold Coast based advanced manufacturers were guest speakers at the event, all shedding light on their businesses and the career opportunities in their industries.

Study Gold Coast CEO, Alfred Slogrove has decided to take on new ventures and the Board has today accepted his resignation.

During his tenure as CEO, Mr Slogrove has played an integral role in the promotion of the city’s education sector, attracting students from across the world to study and work on the Gold Coast. 

The Study Gold Coast Management Committee would like to thank Mr Slogrove for his significant contribution to Study Gold Coast and wishes him well in his future endeavours. 

If Pico Play’s newest interns learn only one thing during their three-month, paid work placement, it is that work can be fun. But the 14 second-year Malaysian university students who started their internships with the Gold Coast company are learning so much more.

They are gaining a richer understanding of how their skills and knowledge can be put into practice after graduation and with their boosted confidence they’re experiencing what teamwork feels like. Some may even be rethinking where their degree can take them.

Laura Caballero is a qualified graphic designer from Bogota, but never had the opportunity to work as a designer because she wasn’t able to gain the essential work experience to get a job in what is a highly competitive employment market there. She ended up working in a call centre for a communications company instead.

With very few prospects in Colombia Laura began to consider study options overseas and the Gold Coast was recommended as an ideal destination by a number of education agents who talked about the city’s opportunities and great lifestyle.

Laura began researching the Gold Coast on the internet was impressed with what she discovered. Then when she heard about Study Gold Coast’s travel grant for international students Laura applied in the hope that she would be successful.

The one goal that every student wants to achieve is a career once they’ve attained their qualification, which is why educational institutions are increasingly investing in experienced professionals to support and guide students with the essential knowledge to find the right career education and employment pathways.

And while the job titles of these professionals may vary from guidance officers to department heads and industry liaison officers, all have the same objective - helping students to make informed choices in reaching their goals.

In recognising the vital role these professionals play in the education sector Study Gold Coast created the Careers Alliance Network, providing opportunities to discuss career and employment related topics, share best practice knowledge and facilitate networking connections with likeminded professionals.

This week the 2022 Mayor’s Student Ambassadors met in the Gold Coast Student Hub one last time with the official close of this year’s program. There were lots of smiles, laughs and  a few tears as the Ambassadors and the Study Gold Coast team reflected on the accomplishments of the group and the individual achievements of this exceptional cohort of students.

Anyone who has participated in this program knows all too well the extraordinary bonds that are forged through the shared experience and the responsibilities that are part of being a Mayor’s Student Ambassador. This year presented its own particular challenges, with several students arriving just after our international borders reopened before taking the plunge into the unknown as an Ambassador and often finding themselves out of their comfort zone.