Preparing students for the real world

“We’ve pushed the boundaries of our teaching and assessment to reflect the fact that uncertainty is a basic characteristic of modern business – nothing is static,” he says. “We know that to build practical expertise, we need to make sure those who actually deploy that expertise in the real world are involved at every step of the education process.”

Dan Purchas, general manager at GradConnection, sees the approach as vital.

“In the past two years, we’ve seen a massive increase in demand for graduates as a response to skill shortages at all levels,” he says.

“Business degrees are one of the top three in demand and, if you look at successfully hired graduates, one of the biggest predictors of success is whether or not they’ve had work experience during their degree.

“If a student has had work experience while they’ve studied, and it overlaps with what they’ve studied, they’re far more employable and far more likely to get a job in their chosen field of study after graduation.”

Post-graduate success

Although the government report shows a higher-than-average fill rate of 77 per cent for jobs requiring business qualifications, only 10 of an average 27 applicants were deemed qualified, and just four were listed as suitable.

Professor Cummings says Canberra Business School’s educational approach is designed to remove the gap between traditional qualifications and suitability.

“Involving our students in internships and having them work with managers, executives and their clients who deal with business complexity on a day-to-day basis is a base ingredient of all our school’s courses. The university’s Work Integrated Learning Program crosses all faculties.”

The school’s postgraduate suite focuses on core corporate capabilities, including specialised master’s programs in human resource management, marketing management, international business and professional accounting.

“Business degrees are one of the top three in demand and, if you look at successfully hired graduates, one of the biggest predictors of success is whether or not they’ve had work experience during their degree.”

— Dan Purchas, general manager at GradConnection

Market research shows accounting to be one of the qualifications most in demand, and the school’s master of business administration (MBA) programs have two-year courses that can be tailored to allow specialisations in three core disciplines, and an accelerated 18-month MBA program.

“All the school’s courses are constantly reviewed to ensure their ongoing relevance to modern business practice. We have an active and eminent school advisory board, and each course has an advisory group made up of people, often alumni, from industry, government and the professions,” Cummings says.

“Internships are critical for career impact. Employers want, and require, graduates they can confidently place in front of a client, whether that be a public servant, a diplomat, a defence official or someone from industry or the professions. Students require these social, emotional and practical skills before they complete their degree, not after.

“Canberra is a relatively small city. Everyone is within one to two degrees of separation and there’s a large government footprint here, but many people don’t realise the vast range of skills and services government relies on.”

“Employers want, and require, graduates they can confidently place in front of a client, whether that be a public servant, a diplomat, a defence official or someone from industry or the professions. Students require these social, emotional and practical skills before they complete their degree, not after.”

— Professor Lorne Cummings, head of the University of Canberra’s Business School

The professor says virtually every skillset required in the private and not-for-profit sector is continually deployed by government on a large scale, often on highly complex projects and processes with multiple stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions.

“The school – and the university more broadly – has strong relationships with all levels of government, as well as the diplomatic sector, but Canberra is also a thriving centre for major corporate and advisory firms and, beyond that, a centre of major growth in the high-tech and innovation sectors,” he says.

“The depth and breadth of the ACT economy means our institution benefits from a diversity and density rarely seen in Australia, or even internationally. It is an interesting dynamic and one that we constantly cherish and do not take for granted.”

To learn more, visit canberra.edu.au/about-uc/faculties/busgovlaw/canberra-business-school-cbs