AlphaJade Recruitment joins CIS for Quick Start Initiative
BY STEPHEN ANDRUCHOWYCZ
Adelaide IT recruitment organisation AlphaJade is working with CIS to deliver the Quick Start Initiative to assist students in gaining vital work experience pre-graduation.
The initiative will recruit IT students a year from finishing their degree to enable them to enter the workforce while finishing their studies either part-time or externally.
Alphajade Recruitment Managing Director Dr Dagmar Egen says that the initiative will develop increased professionalism for graduates by placing them in real IT project work.
“It will help the students gain a competitive edge in the field by providing experience and ensuring that the completion of an IT degree is not abandoned when a pre-grad is employed. In this regard, both Alphajade and UniSA are hoping to address the issue of skills shortages in the IT industry,” she said.
“UniSA was chosen to launch this initiative because, as a result of it being the largest IT school in South Australia, it also produces the most in demand graduates. It will aid the development of the already sound graduate programs and raise the level of professionalism in IT on the whole. For UniSA, the program should also attract potential IT students.”
Industry Alliances Manager Mr Allan Baird says it is important to both the University and the student to complete their studies.
“We hope, through the initiative, to try to satisfy some of the demand for IT literate people coming from industry and to limit the attrition of students from our programs; to see them graduate and fulfil their potential,” he said.
“However, in times when the demand is greater than supply, the temptation to enter the workforce can prove to be too great and many students abandon their studies without receiving their degree.”
“It is a much more straight forward and organised approach for students seeking employment in IT than other conventional methods such as newspapers and job websites. Many companies work through specialised IT recruitment companies to do much of the early qualification of prospective employees, so they do not even appear in the papers or on the web. This initiative comes from AlphaJade and offers jobs that otherwise might not be found.”
Employers will also reap the rewards by gaining talented and highly motivated students at a pre-graduation salary. All candidates are pre-screened, saving time and effort in the employment process, as well as opening up opportunities for possible long-term employment.
UniSA and AlphaJade are engaged in joint marketing efforts to ensure the success of this initiative. While the University will filter interested students, AlphaJade will gather client requirements and match students, interview students and set up interviews with prospective employers.
It is the first time that an initiative of this magnitude has been undertaken by the University and based on the response from students and industry, and the success it has had so far, it is a format likely to be repeated in the future.
Students interested in this initiative should contact AlphaJade Recruitment directly to discuss how they can become a part of this new and exciting initiative.