2017 WA International Education Program of the Year

2017 WINNER: Career Mentor Link, The University of Western Australia

Career Mentor Link (CML) program, accessible  to all  disciplines and undergraduate and postgraduate students, is one the longest running and largest university career mentoring program in Australia.

Commencing in 2003, 2562 students have benefited from the program that motivates and inspires them to engage with a professional mentor from their field of study or future work. Open to both international and domestic students, CML is extremely popular with international students with an average participation rate of 29% from 2008 -2017.  International student enrollments during this same period were  21%.

Participation in CML improves students interpersonal and communication skills as they are required to negotiate and communicate with mentors. International students become job-ready through gaining a better understanding of workplace culture and cultural literacy through visits to their mentor’s workplace, work shadowing and opportunities for work experience; and encourages students to appreciate learning from a variety of sources, including the experiences of those already established in careers. These opportunities outside the classroom contribute to a well-rounded graduate who is positioned to be an effective global citizen.