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NEWS
Google most desirable employer
Research shows university students prefer job satisfaction over higher pay.
University students want to work for Google. The tech giant has just been voted the most desirable employer for the third year in a row by 14,000 students across 38 universities.
Joining Google in the top 10 of GradAustralia’ s list is Apple, Microsoft, PwC, EY, KPMG, Deloitte, the Commonwealth Bank, BHP Billiton and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Students baffled by choice
Thorough exploration of university course choices not being done by many school leavers.
Research from South Australian universities has found 51 per cent of school leavers have trouble deciding what to study at university.
The study, supported by the federal Department of Education, surveyed Year 12 students from 67 high schools in SA.
It found 90 per cent of students broadly explored their university options, such as browsing brochures and websites.
The data from GradAustralia also showed that 74 per cent of graduates want their workplace to be diverse, and 55 per cent want to work for companies that help improve the world.
University students also seem to care more about personal fulfilment than money, as 70 per cent agreed with the statement,‘ It’ s more important for me to feel fulfilled at work than earn a lot of money’.
The findings show that students are prepared to work long hours. On average, students are willing to work 47 hours a week in their first graduate position. However, 70 per cent expect to spend fewer than five years with their first employer. ■
But 35 per cent of these students struggled to navigate the labyrinth of university course options.
“[ Students ] look at a broad range of alternative options, and then when they get closer to a decision, they drill down to maybe a few alternatives, and that’ s where they end [ their ] exploration,” explained the University of South Australia’ s Andrea Parks, a researcher in the study.
“ Some of our data is showing that indepth exploration isn’ t happening, and we’ re not sure if that’ s because they don’ t know how to.
“ There’ s a sense that they’ re overwhelmed by a lot of choice.” ■
Cyber-security courses funded
Government fears a future skills shortage in cybersecurity professionals.
Universities will receive a share of $ 1.9 million in funding if the federal government considers them well placed to train cyber-security specialists. Federal education minister Simon Birmingham and the minister assisting the prime minister for cyber security, Dan Tehan, have issued a joint announcement outlining that universities can apply to be Academic Centres of Cyber Security Excellence( ACCSE).
“ This is about attracting more Australians to cyber-security jobs by supporting the universities that are on the front line training up the cyber-security professionals combating the threats Australia faces now and into the future,” Birmingham said.
Tehan said this was part of the federal government’ s $ 230 million Cyber Security Strategy, which aimed to beef up Australia’ s computer security so that hacks, like that perpetrated on the Bureau of Meteorology by foreign spies last year, would not happen again.
Tehan also said that Australian companies were flagging a future shortfall of cyber-security professionals.
“ Cyber-security skills are fundamental to the success and growth of Australia’ s digital economy, but like many other nations, Australia is suffering from a skills shortage in this field.” ■
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