Each year over 200,000 Australians are offered a place at university, but in an everchanging world where technology is on the rise, many students aren’t sure where to start when it comes to finding a job after graduation.
One of those students is Kshish Rana, who recently graduated from Griffith University with Bachelor of Business majoring in Entrepreneurship and Marketing in 2019.
In 2019, Kshish attended the Griffith Careers Event where she was introduced to the University Specialist Employment Partnership (USEP) program. The program connects students with a disability to employment relevant to their qualifications.
“I was so glad I didn’t miss that Careers Event, because it’s led me to my dream job in Canberra,” Ksish said.
“The USEP Program cannot be matched. By working with Mylestones through the USEP Program I had the resources to achieve all my career goals and aspirations.”
Natalie Searson, who runs the USEP Program at Griffith University with Mylestones Employment says the program is making the transition from studying to working so much easier for students with disability.
“The USEP program helps students identify their next step and identify what they want from their career,” she said.
“Many students don’t know where to start when it comes to applying for a graduate role, and that becomes more complicated if you think your disability is a barrier – but it’s not.”
For the past four years, Natalie has seen so many students with disability land their dream roles thanks to the USEP program.
“Mylestones can help the students with anything in their career search, including mock interviews, writing their resume, and support with writing selection criteria,” she said.
“For those who are still studying, we can support with things like notetaking, adaptive equipment or private rooms for exams.
“It’s such an important time in a person’s life and we aim to support them to make it as successful as possible.”
Kshish Rana
For people like Kshish, the USEP program was the final piece in the puzzle of landing her dream job.
“I would not be here today without Mylestones and USEP. I was so lucky to have Natalie mentor me through the job hunting process and now I’m living in my own apartment in Canberra, working in my dream role,” she said.
“For any other students with a disability, I’d say ‘don’t hesitate and get in touch with USEP straight away’.
“I never felt alone and Mylestones went above and beyond for me to make sure I had the means of achieving my goals and turning them into a reality.”
Learn about Kshish’s dream job:
Can you tell us a bit about your new role?
I am a Graduate Communications Officer working for the City Renewal Authority for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government. I am currently in the Communications and Engagement team where I assist with updating the website, curating content for social media, writing media articles and collaborating with various internal and external stakeholders. It’s all very exciting and I couldn’t be happier!
Was this the role you’d always wanted?
To be honest, it was my dream role but I never expected it to come true. It definitely takes a lot of guts, hard work and sheer persistence to turn it into a reality. This would not have been possible without the help of my family and Natalie at Mylestones. She guided me through the whole application process.
Were any adjustments made to accommodate your disability?
Mylestones are currently working with my employer to make some adjustments to my workspace which makes me feel very supported.
Do you have any advice for others?
Don’t hesitate. Take the step of asking for support. The Mylestones team have the experience to support you through the whole process. Natalie helped me with my application, my one-on-one interviews, group interviews and then starting my dream job!
For more information on USEP and Mylestones Employment please visit the website.
