Student Networking Program
Applications for the SSSI Student Networking Program are now closed!
About the SSSI Student Networking Program
The SSSI Student Networking Program is piloted in 2022 to provide Australian surveying and spatial university and VET students an opportunity to work in groups among peers and with recent graduates.
The program allows students to meet others who are at a similar stage of their study path while meeting early career professionals.
These networking groups will meet weekly for one hour for 8 meetings (totalling 3 months) on topics targeted to support students as they begin to consider their career paths in the surveying and spatial industry and take steps towards this.
The groups will contain around 10 people: 7 to 8 students along with 2 to 3 graduates. The participants will be from varying institutions to allow greater opportunity to share diverse experiences.
All group meetings will be held online via Microsoft Teams.
Participants will work through a structured series of topics to gain skills which will provide them with the tools they need to be well-equipped to enter the workforce. Topics to be covered include:
- Building a Resume/CV/Cover Letter
- LinkedIn/Personal Branding
- Interviews
- Networking
- Finding work/Responding to Job Advertisements
- Dealing with Rejections
- Values/Ethics
- Inclusion and Diversity
Why should I apply?
Students
Are you are tertiary education (University or VET) student in Australia seeking to surround yourself with a network of peers that can help navigate your studies and entry into the industry after graduation? Then this is the program for you!
Research and lived experience from young professionals within STEM industries have shown that the support and learnings we can gain from our peer network can often be the differentiating factor in learning the skills of ‘what it’s like in the real world’ that can set us up for success more quickly, and especially as we seek to get our foot in the door to enter the industry workforce.
A career is made up of many jobs, and it is often the friends and peer networks we make from our tertiary studies can relate to our career pathways over the years. While you may start off together, you are not in competition with each other - you are each seeking to find work in industry, government or research that will suit your individual strengths and passions, and over time these different pathways will become clearer to you.
Students who participate in this program will benefit from structured support to help them to begin to form their own professional networks with peers across different institutions.
Graduates
If you have recently (within the last three years) graduated from any geospatial course, we encourage you to consider joining the Student Networking Program.
Early career professionals who participate gain benefits such as skills development in leadership, communication, organisation, influencing and developing talent. Additionally, it builds confidence and solidifies the knowledge they have through supporting students in the program.
How to apply
Applications for the pilot Student Networking Program are open to Australian based students and graduates only.
Participation is free of charge but you must be a CURRENT SSSI MEMBER (student membership is free of charge – click here to join!).
How do I know if I am selected for the Networking Program?
The Student Networking Program Committee will review all applications and determine if each applicant has met the criteria for participation and form the groups. Participants will be notified by the end of June if their application has been successful.
CPD
1 CPD point per meeting and networking event, limited to a maximum of 6 CPD points per year (as per the SSSI CPD Policy) excluding BOSSI requirements. If you are relying on CPD points for BOSSI assessment purposes, please contact cpd@sssi.org.au.
Questions
If you have any further questions, please contact students@sssi.org.au.