2. FROM THE
HEAD OF CAMPUS
The second semester for 2014 has flown by with yet another busy but
successful semester coming to an end.
In this edition of Caboolture Connect we highlight the outstanding achievements
of our staff and students over the second half of the year, and preview some
upcoming projects and events which are planned for the coming months.
Students, staff and graduates continue to be recognised for their outstanding
achievements, and in this edition we share some of these successes. A hard-working
business student was accepted into three internships, a nursing student received
a Student Leadership Excellence Award, and an academic is using research to
implement a new role within the early childhood industry.
We also touch base with an education student who took her practical learning
across international borders to Bhutan and several creative industries students who
are putting their theory into practice and working on great industry projects.
Academic Kylie Bradfield showcases a new pedagogical framework which
recognises students’ individual learning needs and the principles that materials,
assessment and teaching approaches should be flexible and adjusted for varying
student needs.
Our Student Engagement Team has been busy coordinating a host of services
to assist with students’ wellbeing. The student support program includes student
breakfast club, free fruit, vegetables and bread through Second Bite, and free
fitness sessions. The campus has been abuzz with students taking up these
programs.
Our Real Decisions event for prospective students is being held this year on
23 December. Real Decisions is a great opportunity to visit the campus one last
time before students finalise the order of their QTAC preferences. It also will provide
Year 12 students with a chance to talk about their options after they have received
their OP scores.
I wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas, and look forward to seeing you on
campus at QUT Caboolture in 2015.
Robert Craig
Head of Campus
CONTENTS
Creativity leaps into Caboolture 1
A blast from the past for
nursing students 2
East meets west at
colourful festival 4
Grass roots project helps
Jacob plan ahead 6
Education innovation
at Caboolture 7
Himalayan lessons for
Murrumba teacher 8
Kilcoy globetrotter honoured
by QUT 9
It takes a village 12
Local educators put research
in action 13
Real decisions for local
school leavers 14
Retail to research for local mum 15
Sound experience for big
music fan 16
Spoilt for choice 17
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Caboolture
3. CREATIVITY LEAPS INTO CABOOLTURE
Some would say that finding links between QUT Caboolture and the White House would require
some creative thinking. They would be right.
A group of US creative thinking experts who
had worked with senior leaders at Fortune
500 companies and have been involved in
the Reinvention Revolution conference at
the White House, visited the campus as part
of an Australian tour funded by QUT.
Creative Leaps International is a company
of learning specialists, performing artists
and scientists who use the performing arts
to create a novel, highly creative learning
environment.
Dr Mallihai Tambyah, Academic Coordinator
for Primary Education at QUT Caboolture,
said the visit was a welcome eye opener.
‘The workshops were run by eight principal
performing, teaching and consulting artists
and showed us that music is a really
important avenue to harness creative
thinking,’ Dr Tambyah said.
‘Listening to music,
singing and making
music helps us to think
in different ways.
‘It also emphasised that we must give
time and make time for the arts aspects
of education in schools, and that it can be
used to enhance teaching in a variety of
areas,’ she said.
Principals, education leaders and students
from Caboolture East State School and Grace
Lutheran College also participated in the
workshops. Shane Hoy, from Caboolture East
State School, was grateful for the opportunity
to work with such a renowned group.
‘We have a really strong partnership with
QUT and we are always grateful for the
opportunities that come with having that
link,’ he said.
‘Our students were among the 50 children
who participated—answering questions,
getting emotionally involved in the stories
and music making and listening. They were
thoroughly engaged.’
While the students attended a creative
workshop, local school leaders and
QUT academics attended a professional
development session which Dr Tambyah
said was an opportunity to thank the
broader community for hosting our student
teachers and to provide the students with
a professional musical performance in their
local area.
‘We acknowledge and appreciate the
wonderful work they do in the community
and in supporting the Faculty of Education
programs at QUT Caboolture,’ she said.
Summer 2014/2015 1
4. For the past three years, nursing academic,
Glo Thompson, has been overseeing a project
to bring a nursing museum to QUT’s Caboolture
campus and said the equipment on display
will provide the students with an opportunity to
comprehend how times have changed.
‘Crude versions of contemporary equipment
can be easier to comprehend, because modern
equipment has primarily been computerised
and more difficult to deconstruct,’ she said.
‘By taking a trip
through yesteryear,
the students are able
to reflect upon how
nurses have contributed
to improvements
for patients and
understand how
practice has changed.’
A BLAST FROM THE PAST FOR
NURSING STUDENTS
Nursing students at QUT’s Caboolture campus could be forgiven for taking learning in modern,
top-class facilities for granted—so the latest delivery to the nursing labs has certainly been an eye opener.
Source: Queensland Past and Present: 100 Years of Statistics,1896–1996
2 Caboolture Connect
6. This year’s festival featured performances
and workshops from across the globe, and
also saw free Italian, Pakistani, Pacific Island
and Sri Lankan dishes supplied thanks to a
group of passionate students eager to share
their culture with classmates.
For third-year business student, Heba
Uddin, supporting the festival was a chance
to showcase her beloved Pakistani cuisine.
She believes the festival is all part of the
real-world experience at QUT.
‘The cultural diversity
at QUT mirrors that of
the community, and
understanding and
having an appreciation
for it is very important,’
she said.
EAST MEETS
WEST AT
COLOURFUL
FESTIVAL
QUT’s annual East West
Festival brought the
Caboolture campus to life
again this year, as more than
200 students came together to
celebrate culture and diversity
with an explosion of taste,
song and dance.
4 Caboolture Connect
7. ‘I love to cook and contributed to the
festival by making malai boti rolls (marinated
meat wrapped in flat bread with onion and
tamarind sauce) which everyone seemed
to love. There were even some students
coming back for thirds!’
Another of the students who helped make
the festival such a success is half Chinese,
half Micronesian student, Iree Chow, who
grew up in the Solomon Islands.
Iree founded the QUT Pacfika Association
(QUTPA) at the beginning of 2014 and used
the East West Festival to showcase the
many Pacific Island cultures represented
on campus.
‘The varied and complex customs of the
Pacific Islands are my favourite parts of our
culture—as well as the incredible food, the
dancing and the legends of the Pacific,’
she said.
‘We brought along a range of Pacific Island
treats and the most popular dishes were the
Malasadas (Hawaiian doughnuts) and Otai
(Tongan watermelon drink) which were gone
within the first hour.’
Student engagement officer, Justine
Hudson, organised the festival and said it
keeps getting bigger every year.
‘The East West Festival is a great
opportunity for students to broaden their
horizons without having to hop on a plane.
The students see it as one of the highlights
of the year,’ she said.
‘The success of student events relies on
buy in from the student body, and based on
the number of students who got behind the
festival this year we can expect East West to
be another hit in 2015.’
Summer 2014/2015 5
8. GRASS ROOTS
PROJECT
HELPS JACOB
PLAN AHEAD
For the past decade, the
Caboolture campus has
provided students with
opportunities to work on
a range of grass roots,
community projects—the
latest being with headspace
Redcliffe, a not-for-profit
organisation that provides
free mental health services to
young people in the Moreton
Bay Region.
A small group of first-year creative industries
students jumped at the opportunity to
create a video for the Redcliffe centre.
Mel Shay, the Community Awareness
Coordinator from headspace Redcliffe,
said the students went above and beyond
to produce a great piece of work.
‘We were beyond happy with the work of
the students,’ she said.
‘They were involved in all aspects of the
project including script writing, voiceovers,
acting, filming and post production—and
no task was too difficult. They were always
friendly, offered constructive suggestions and
worked well with our Youth Reference Group.
‘The Virtual Tour has already been shown
and well received at schools, universities
and community events, and it wouldn’t be a
success if it wasn’t for their involvement.’
Jacob Marks, who
was the main student
contact for the project,
said the opportunity
to gain some real-
world experience while
helping a local not-for-
profit organisation was
too good to refuse.
‘The services headspace Redcliffe offer
local young people makes a real difference
and I hope the video will be a great resource
for promoting their services,’ he said.
‘We saw what it is like to work with others
on a creative project and the importance
of collaboration. One of the best parts was
seeing the links between a real-world project
and what we learn in the classroom.’
For Jacob, the project also confirmed his
career goals—a realisation many students
don’t reach until later in their degree.
‘When I finish university, I hope to eventually
become a freelance cinematographer and
this project helped open my eyes to what it
is going to take,’ he said.
6 Caboolture Connect
9. Primary education academic, Ms Kylie
Bradfield, is trialling a new pedagogical
framework with her students at QUT’s
Caboolture campus which she says aims to
give all individuals equal opportunities to learn.
‘Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
recognises students as individuals and
abides by the principles that materials,
assessment and teaching approaches
should be flexible and adjusted for the
needs of all students,’ she said.
‘This is well known in the primary school
context, but is a recent concept in tertiary
education settings.’
Robert Craig, head of the Caboolture
campus, said it is always exciting when
new pedagogical practices like UDL
are introduced into the tertiary teaching
environment. These initiatives are made
possible due to staff having a genuine
passion for providing students with a
supportive university experience.
‘Over the years we have
been quite innovative in
the way we approach
education and this is
further example of this,’
he said.
UDL consists of three key principles, which
Ms Bradfield has embedded when teaching
university students:
1. Teachers need to provide options for
the way that they present material to the
class. The options Ms Bradfield is using
to provide information to her students
include recorded lectures, audio recordings
of book chapters, online text books,
discussion boards and study groups.
2. Recognise that learners have different
preferences for how they navigate a
learning environment and how they show
what they have learned. Ms Bradfield
provides a real variety of options
regarding ‘how’ students can show what
they have learned. These options include
annotations on journal articles, blogs,
creative writing, creation of their own
materials, and even consultations.
3. Teachers need to be cognisant of engaging
students through choice and making the
learning authentic. For this element, the
students are working one on one with
primary students in local schools, trying out
the theory and putting it into practice.
‘All good teachers need to think about
creating methods, materials, and assessments
that work for everyone—not a single, one-
size-fits-all solution,’ Ms Bradfield said.
‘So far, I have observed some fantastic
levels of achievement. I’m looking forward to
hearing what the students think at the end
of the semester and how I can make it even
better for next year.’
EDUCATION INNOVATION AT CABOOLTURE
Learners of varied abilities and backgrounds are found in classrooms from kindergarten to university.
Variations can be due to differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds, physical and learning disabilities,
varied preferences and motivations for learning, or just because some students are unusually gifted.
Summer 2014/2015 7
10. The fourth-year education student was one
of six students who travelled to Bhutan as
a part of her Inclusive Education service-
learning program, and Jade said it was an
experience she will never forget.
The Kingdom of Bhutan has only quite
recently been open to westerners. The small
Buddhist country is best known for having
adopted ‘gross national happiness’ instead
of the gross domestic product as the main
development indicator.
‘We spent our time at Changangkha MSS, a
school that is leading the way in inclusive
education and is focused on working with
students with disabilities,’ she said.
‘The trip gave us an opportunity to observe
and experience inclusive education and
practices within a completely different culture.’
Dr Derek Bland, senior lecturer with the
Faculty of Education, describes service-
learning as an innovative pedagogy that
combines volunteering with opportunities
for deep personal reflection.
‘Service-learning is a reciprocal activity.
While students support the work of a
community organisation, their service
experiences assist them to find out more
about themselves, to reflect on their own
values and beliefs, and to think about the
kind of teacher they want to be,’ he said,
adding that this was the first organised trip
to Bhutan for QUT education students.
Jade said that the trip, which was heavily
subsidised by the university, taught her a lot
about herself and the type of teacher she
wants to be.
‘Two things that I
learnt in Bhutan
that now guide me
during my teaching
are the importance of
communication and
relationships,’ she said.
‘Without effective communication I would
not be able to foster and develop rewarding
relationships with my students, and without
these relationships I will not truly know my
students’ needs, interests and wants.’
The trip has reinforced Jade’s love for
teaching and she is eager to join a
Queensland school that sees inclusive
education as a model that works.
‘The trip reminded me that classrooms
need to be fun and safe environments that
encourage kids to be creative and happy
individuals,’ she said.
‘I am extremely interested in continuing
to develop my knowledge on inclusive
education and working within schools which
share that same passion.
‘I have my fingers crossed for the future
and hope to secure a teaching position in
regional Queensland.’
HIMALAYAN
LESSONS FOR
MURRUMBA
TEACHER
When Jade Gollan enrolled in
a primary education degree in
2011, she had no idea it would
be a course that would take her
to the Eastern Himalayas.
8 Caboolture Connect
11. Ben was recently awarded a QUT Student
Leadership Excellence Award, an honour
bestowed on just 10 of QUT’s 40 000
students each year.
According to Lisa Wirihana who has taught
Ben for the last three years, there couldn’t
be a more deserving student.
‘He has an amazing presence about him
and his commitment to helping others has
made him a real inspiration,’ she said.
‘His work as a student
ambassador, a peer
mentor and a library
adviser has helped him
become a well-known
figure in the campus
community, and he
has used the resulting
influence to bring
help and attention to
socially disadvantaged
students.’
KILCOY GLOBETROTTER HONOURED BY QUT
As far as role models go, it is hard to look past Kilcoy High School graduate and QUT third-year nursing
student, Ben McGarry.
The Kilcoy local has certainly left his mark
with his academic ability, but Ms Wirihana
said his work outside the classroom has
been just as impressive.
‘Ben recognised a pattern of
disempowerment emerging amongst male
nursing students, and with the assistance
of staff has introduced a student group
to support current and future males
who decide to undertake nursing as a
profession,’ she said.
Summer 2014/2015 9
12. A distant cry from the stereotypical uni
student, Ben chooses to spend university
holidays travelling to disadvantaged
countries helping those in need—a passion
that has seen him travel far and wide.
‘Since leaving Australia at 18 to travel the
world and live abroad, I have had countless
opportunities to lend a helping hand in
a variety of capacities, firstly as an ESL
teacher and more recently as a nearly
graduated nursing student,’ he said.
‘These experiences have taken me to
Ethiopia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Cambodia,
Palestine and Jordan. My motivation for
this work is seeing the proverbial fruits of
my labour, regardless of whether they are
tangible or imperceptible.’
10 Caboolture Connect
13. With a resumé that boasts stints in some
of the most needy cities in the world, Ben
hopes he has made a difference but was
realistic about the challenges they are facing.
‘I sincerely hope that my miniscule
contribution in the grand scheme of things
was able to enhance the lived experience
of at least one person. But long-term and
better-resourced assistance is required
to truly make a difference in places like
Palestine,’ said Ben.
With graduation just around the corner
and a resumé overflowing with worldly
experiences, Ben has the world at his feet
and his plans for the future include a familiar
pattern.
‘I always had plans to share my newly
acquired knowledge and skills in the third
world. As the course progressed and I
immersed myself in study, my vision evolved
to incorporate the paradigm of public health,
particularly disease prevention,’ he said.
‘I have explored my options and envisage
myself, at some point, working for Medecins
Sans Frontieres after postgraduate public
health studies in Europe.’
Summer 2014/2015 11
14. The ‘village’ at QUT’s Caboolture campus
has never been more supportive than it is
today, and according to student engagement
officer, Justine Hudson, the services on offer
are being incredibly well received.
‘Over the last couple of years we have
placed an increased focus on our student
support programs,’ she said.
‘We host a free breakfast club once a week,
we offer free fresh fruit and vegetables three
times a week, and in 2014 we introduced
free fitness sessions with a combination
of classes and supervised gym time for
students during the semester.
‘Students help us recognise their needs and
this information is taken into consideration
when creating the support programs.’
For first-year early childhood student, Estelle
Rasmussen, the benefits of these programs
cannot be underestimated.
‘Juggling study with work and family
commitments can be pretty hectic and
looking after yourself is something that
tends to fall by the wayside,’ she said.
‘Having the ability to sneak in a gym session
between classes or take home some fresh
fruit and veg makes the world of difference,
and it is reassuring to know that there is
support there if we need it.’
Being a university student has its challenges
and Justine believes that if QUT can
implement initiatives to assist students’
wellbeing and development, it will help them
to reach their academic goals and enjoy
their university experience.
‘The support comes in a variety of
different forms including counselling,
financial assistance, careers advice and
cultural awareness all the way through to
encouraging students to maintain a healthy
lifestyle while studying,’ she said.
Student counsellor, Maria Oram, echoed
these sentiments and said that it takes a
holistic approach to support students on
their journey to graduation.
‘For a student to succeed, they require a
lot of emotional and physical energy, they
need to be resilient and they have to learn
to balance all the components of their lives,’
she said.
‘We do all we can to
assist with that balance,
and to maintain their
physical and mental
health and sense of
wellbeing.’
With a new year and another new intake of
students just around the corner, Ms Oram
said there is no big secret to accessing the
support and succeeding at uni.
‘We have an entire village of staff (and
students) here to help. All you have to do
is ask.’
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
The African proverb, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ is widely quoted when describing the support
needed to help a student reach their full potential.
12 Caboolture Connect
15. The ‘educational leader’ role was introduced
as part of national reforms to early childhood
education and care. Dr Susan Irvine from
QUT and Jenny Clarke from Brisbane TAFE
led the action research project which aimed
to discover how service providers can get
the most out of the new role.
The project, funded by the Workforce
Council, culminated in September with a
presentation at the Early Childhood Australia
Biennial Conference in Melbourne, where Dr
Irvine said the research was warmly received.
‘Jenny Clarke and I were accompanied
by three local educators (Janet Schluter
from Peace of Mind Family Day Care at
Narangba, Monique Dowd from Goodstart
Bongaree and Jo Payne from Samford
Pines Early Learning and Child Care), to
display seven research posters and present
our research to an audience of educators,
operators, academics and policy makers,’
she said.
‘We aimed to help
other educators think
about how this role
can look and work
best in their service.
‘Our research generated a great deal of
interest. So much so that the Workforce
Council posted our findings on their website
as a resource for others to learn from—a
sign that the findings are of real-world use to
the profession.’
Dr Irvine said the educational leader role is
important and believes it has the potential
to make a positive and lasting difference
in terms of service quality and children’s
learning outcomes.
‘It needs to be valued by everyone in the
service and requires an investment in terms
of time and resources,’ she said.
‘The main focus of the role is not
supervision, monitoring staff or program
checks. It needs to be building the capacity
of others through approaches such as
mentoring, professional conversations and
effective professional learning.’
With collaboration between local educators,
QUT and Brisbane TAFE, this project was a
true team effort. However according to Dr
Irvine the project would not have found such
success without buy in from the group of
local educators.
‘This project brought together a group of
talented and dedicated educators who
worked as a community of learners to
strengthen their professional knowledge
and practice, and it has been extraordinarily
successful,’ she said.
‘The Caboolture region has some very
talented and passionate educators, and I have
learned a lot from them over the past year.’
LOCAL
EDUCATORS
PUTRESEARCH
IN ACTION
For the past 12 months, a
team of dedicated senior
educators from early
childhood education and
care (ECEC) services in and
around Caboolture have been
working together to support
the implementation of a new
role within their services.
Summer 2014/2015 13
16. REAL DECISIONS FOR LOCAL
SCHOOL LEAVERS
With Year 12 students set to receive their OP score on 19 December, it’s decision time for
school leavers who want to go to uni next year.
QUT Caboolture will hold its Real Decisions
event on Tuesday, 23 December to provide
last-minute information to prospective
students who may be considering changing
their QTAC preferences.
The free event will run from 3–7pm at QUT’s
Caboolture campus, and is an opportunity
for prospective students to come on campus
after OP scores have been released and talk
face to face with QUT staff about courses,
careers and university life. Mature-aged
students are also encouraged to attend.
First-year business student, Josh Henao,
attended last year’s event which confirmed his
decision to study a business degree locally.
‘I had finished high school and knew I
wanted to do business at QUT but wasn’t
sure what the Caboolture campus was like.
I had so many questions about my options,
the course and the campus that I wanted to
ask,’ Josh said.
‘There was so much
information and
different staff to talk
to across all the areas
including business.
‘I found out about the costs and scholarships,
the library and about university life from current
students. I also toured the campus.
‘Everyone was very friendly and supportive.
The staff went out of their way to try and
answer my questions.’
For more information about QUT Caboolture’s
Real Decision event and studying at QUT,
visit www.qut.edu.au/study/events
14 Caboolture Connect
17. ‘Before uni I was a full-time mum and
worked part time in retail,’ she said.
‘One of the reasons I enrolled was because
we had two young children and were getting
nowhere. I wanted more for my family.’
Exceeding all of her own expectations,
Shannon will commence a masters degree
by research in early 2015 and says there
are more options than you think with a
career in nursing.
‘It didn’t take long to realise that there
are many opportunities with a nursing
deree—clinical facilitators, nurse educators,
community nurses, health promoters,
researchers, mental health nurses. Then
there are all the differing clinical areas. The
list is endless,’ she said.
‘I hope to research the way pathophysiology
is taught because it is a subject a lot of
students struggle with.
‘By better understanding the learning
needs of nursing students, I think their
comprehension and retention of bio-science
content will improve, which will consequently
improve student outcomes and produce
better nurses for the real world.’
Associate Professor Martin Christensen said
there is an ongoing need for research into
nursing practice and hopes Shannon will
be the first of many Caboolture graduates
pursuing further study.
‘Nursing research should
become the cornerstone
of nursing practice as
opposed to ritual and
tradition,’ he said.
‘The slogan ‘theory without practice is
empty; practice with theory is blind’ perfectly
captures the importance of research and
what it means to our profession.
‘Our aim for the next two to three years is
to have five nursing students following on to
complete a masters by thesis.’
Asked for her secret to juggling study with
family life, Shannon had some simple advice.
‘There is no secret. It’s just about making uni
a priority and time management. You need
to think of the end goal,’ she said.
‘If I can do it, anyone can.’
RETAIL TO
RESEARCH
FOR LOCAL
MUM
In 2012 mother of two,
Shannon Bakon, returned to
study to build a better future
for her young family. Little
did she know it would be a
journey that would lead to a
postgraduate research degree.
Summer 2014/2015 15
18. The second-year creative industries
student, who started her degree at the
Caboolture campus and is now majoring
in music and entertainment industries at
QUT’s Kelvin Grove campus, has joined
the team at one the southern hemisphere’s
biggest music industry events and says it
was an experience she will never forget.
‘I applied for a position to work at
BIGSOUND after volunteering with them
in 2013—and through my previous
experiences and studies, I secured a paid
position on this year’s team,’ she said.
BIGSOUND is a showcase of music and
talent from national and international
artists. The three-day event comprises a
conference and live festival.
‘It is a huge event and is run in quite a
unique way,’ she said.
‘During the day, more than 3000 music reps,
artists and fans attend the conference which
focuses on the issues that are prevalent in
the industry at the moment.
‘Then by night, the artists perform at
14 venues across Fortitude Valley, which
is where I was involved.’
Sarah’s role saw her working at the
BIGSOUND Village Venue where she liaised
with bands and production crew to ensure
the stage was running on time and the
artists were comfortable on the night.
‘I worked alongside some extremely talented
Australian bands such as MZAZA, HOLY
HOLY, Thelma Plum, and KINGSWOOD.
It was amazing to meet people who have
been working in the industry for a number of
years, and I learnt a lot,’ she said.
Kenneth Lyons, Academic Coordinator
for Creative Industries at Caboolture, said
Sarah’s commitment to gaining real-world
experience is setting her up for success.
‘I think my students get sick of me telling
them that being proactive in seeking
industry and networking experience early on
in their studies is crucial, but it is some of
the best advice we can give,’ he said.
‘There are always opportunities out there,
and Sarah has put the theory into practice
by demonstrating that if you have the
passion and drive to get involved, doors will
open for you. Behind those doors can be
some very exciting opportunities.’
Nearing her final year of study, this
experience has come at the right time for
Sarah and it has validated her decision to
study a degree in entertainment industries.
‘Straight after my
degree, my aim is to
tour overseas with a
band, artist or show as
a part of the production
team,’ she said.
‘I believe that volunteering and working at
a number of events in the entertainment
industry and being able to meet industry
practitioners will be the key to job
opportunities in the future.’
SOUND EXPERIENCE FOR BIG MUSIC FAN
For a student who is drawn to the excitement of the entertainment industry, Sarah Moore’s latest
project has been the highlight of her young career.
16 Caboolture Connect
19. SPOILT FOR
CHOICE
For Bianca Jacobi, applying for
internships was an opportunity
to test the waters in the real
world and put classroom
knowledge into practice. She
got more than she bargained
for, however—receiving offers
for positions at three different
organisations.
Majoring in marketing at QUT’s Caboolture
campus, the former St Columban’s College
student applied and was accepted into
internships at IGA Supermarkets, Sandhills
Pacific and ORIGO Education. While Bianca
could choose from three excellent firms,
she took the opportunity that allowed her to
study and work close to home.
‘I decided to go with
ORIGO Education
because of their
Brendale office location,
but it didn’t take long to
realise I had made the
right decision,’ she said.
‘The staff have been very kind and friendly,
there is a great team culture and I have
already been putting classroom knowledge
into practice which has been very
rewarding.’
Renowned for offering students real-world
opportunities, staff at QUT Caboolture are
very supportive of students looking to add
value to their degree and Bianca was quick
to heap praise on the QUT careers team.
‘I could not have gotten where I am today
without the help and support of the QUT
Career Services and counsellors,’ she said.
‘I attended numerous workshops to help
build my resumé, learnt about effective
networking and was given some great tips
for interviews—all of which gave me the
confidence to start applying for internships.’
Dr Noel Tracey, Academic Coordinator for
the QUT Business School at the Caboolture
campus, said Bianca has done all the right
things and believes her hard work will pay
off after graduation.
‘Bianca did what we encourage all of our
students to do. She sought help from our
careers team to find out about opportunities
and then used this knowledge to obviously
impress the interviewers, being offered all
three positions!’ he said.
‘Real-world experience is often what gets
graduates over the line when they apply for
jobs after university, and I think Bianca is
setting herself up for success.’
With graduation in sight, Bianca is looking
forward to sinking her teeth into a career
in events management and hopes her
internship will help her resumé stand out
from the crowd.
‘My long-term career goal is to get a job
at an international company as an events
marketing manager,’ she said.
‘That goal is what I have been trying to
work towards and I believe my time at QUT
and my internship is a great stepping stone
towards realising this.’
Summer 2014/2015 17
