Program Overview

Introduction to Career Activate

Career Activate is an innovative work-integrated learning program designed in conjunction with valued industry partners to help students develop a range of real-world skills and experiences. This program is all about opening doors for students, setting them apart from the competition, and providing opportunities to solve real-world business problems.

The Link Between Your Degree and Your Career

The program offers students the chance to attend and engage in a Live Experience event with a prominent industry partner. These events can include hackathons, pitch sessions, and workshops, where students can bring their skills and knowledge to the table and connect with partners and peers who share similar interests.

Program Structure

Before the Live Experience, students are given access to the Virtual Experience on Western Edge, a platform that provides professional training and partner-specific learning tailored to the current challenges facing the industry. This part of the program takes about 3 hours to complete and offers flexible learning, allowing students to immerse themselves at their own pace.

Benefits of Career Activate

By taking part in Career Activate, students can:

• Build meaningful connections with leading industry partners
• Stand out and place themselves at the top of Western's highly sought-after graduates
• Gain exclusive access to welcome networking sessions with industry partners
• Join a support network with current and past program participants
• Receive a personalized online credential to put on their resume and share with future employers
• Gain work experience and training in a reputable company to enhance their knowledge and skills

Previous Challenges

Career Activate has partnered with several industry leaders, including:

• EY, focusing on how AI is transforming the world of work and developing practical skills around Design Thinking
• Deloitte, spotlighting personal branding, professional communication, and business chemistry
• KPMG, developing a range of transferrable skills highly sought after by employers, including professional communication, critical thinking, and collaboration

Benefits from Industry Partners

Industry partners, such as FDM Group, have praised the program, stating that they see great potential for talent and want to help students foster the skills they are looking for before they graduate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Program Schedule

• Career Activate is an extra-curricular program made up of specific challenges co-designed with key industry partners.
• These challenges are generally run twice a year.

Eligibility

• The program is free of charge and open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.
• There are no minimum GPA requirements to meet to be eligible to participate.
• Both domestic and international students are welcome to register.

Participation

• Students may choose to participate in several challenges, but this is not recommended to be done at the same time.
• Participating in several challenges may impact on the experience of the program.

Registration

• Students will need to register for the program.
• Once registered, they will receive information about the upcoming Welcome Session and how to get started.

Western Edge Platform

• Western Edge is Western's online platform for personal and professional development.
• It's a one-stop-shop for staying engaged within the University and growing employability.
• Western Edge can accommodate a variety of learning approaches using interactive digital tools to support the achievement of learning goals.
• In addition to being a learning platform, Western Edge is also a news, job seeking, and community hub.