Innovation Case Study - Murdoch...
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w iru.edu.au Charles Darwin University // Flinders University // Griffith University// James Cook University // La Trobe University // Murdoch University 1 Innovation Case Study Young Professionals Program Jean Wootton, Associate Lecturer, School of Business and Governance CONTEXT The young professionals is an extracurricular activity available to anyone aged 18 to 35, regardless of their discipline. It is open to students, business people and those interested in business. The program’s small committee of volunteers are all within this age group and come from all walks of life. RATIONALE Murdoch University recognises the need for students to gain practice at networking with people other than academics and other students. It is essential that this experience is interdisciplinary, and students from any discipline to be able to listen to the stories first-hand of successful people as a means of motivating them. DESCRIPTION The local chamber was approached and the idea of the young professionals program was pitched to the committee and also to the University to confirm their support. Both were in agreement, the University is supplying the premises and also supplied the first year funding for the refreshments. The local Chamber of Commerce supplied the infrastructure to be able to reach chamber members and the local community. The group was initially formed for 18 to 30-year-olds but has since realised that 18 to 35 was more appropriate. The first event was organised by Jean Wotton. Chamber members and their staff, university students and staff and the local community who were in the age range were invited. From this first event (three speakers) a committee of interested persons was formed. Initially the committee selected the speakers, the type of events they were interested in and organised these under the direction of Associate Professor Jean Wootton. Regardless, from day one the official host/MC of every event has been one of the committee members.
Transcript of Innovation Case Study - Murdoch...
wiru.edu.au
CharlesDarwinUniversity//FlindersUniversity//GriffithUniversity//JamesCookUniversity//LaTrobeUniversity//MurdochUniversity
1
InnovationCaseStudyYoungProfessionalsProgram
JeanWootton,AssociateLecturer,SchoolofBusinessandGovernance
CONTEXTTheyoungprofessionalsisanextracurricularactivityavailabletoanyoneaged18to35,regardlessoftheir discipline. It is open to students, business people and those interested in business. Theprogram’ssmall committeeofvolunteersareallwithin thisagegroupandcomefromallwalksoflife.
RATIONALEMurdoch University recognises the need for students to gain practice at networkingwith peopleotherthanacademicsandotherstudents.Itisessentialthatthisexperienceisinterdisciplinary,andstudents fromanydiscipline tobeable to listen to thestories first-handof successfulpeopleasameansofmotivatingthem.
DESCRIPTIONThelocalchamberwasapproachedandtheideaoftheyoungprofessionalsprogramwaspitchedtothe committee and also to the University to confirm their support. Bothwere in agreement, theUniversity is supplying thepremisesandalso supplied the first year funding for the refreshments.ThelocalChamberofCommercesuppliedtheinfrastructuretobeabletoreachchambermembersandthelocalcommunity.Thegroupwasinitiallyformedfor18to30-year-oldsbuthassincerealisedthat 18 to 35 was more appropriate. The first event was organised by Jean Wotton. Chambermembersandtheirstaff,universitystudentsandstaffandthelocalcommunitywhowereintheagerangewere invited. From this first event (three speakers) a committee of interested personswasformed. Initially the committee selected the speakers, the typeof events theywere interested inandorganisedtheseunderthedirectionofAssociateProfessorJeanWootton.Regardless,fromdayonetheofficialhost/MCofeveryeventhasbeenoneofthecommitteemembers.
wiru.edu.au
CharlesDarwinUniversity//FlindersUniversity//GriffithUniversity//JamesCookUniversity//LaTrobeUniversity//MurdochUniversity
2
The first event a student, now alumnuswas the host. They have now developed into a properlyformedcommitteethatsitsundertheRockinghamKwinanaChamberofCommerce(RKCC).Theyruntheirownbankaccount,havedesignedalogo,haveraisedfundsthroughthelocalCouncilandtheUniversitystillsupportsthegroupthroughprovisionofbothameetingspaceandaneventspace
Over a period of three years the group have organised 4 speaking events per year and the oddworkshop on matters that they found interesting, for example Starting Your Own Business,PresentingYourselfonSocialMedia,PublicSpeaking.Thespeakingeventshavebeendiversewithpeoplefromacademia,industry,thearts,defenceandpolitics
AsMurdochUniversityhasthreedifferentcampusesitwasconsideredasuitableextensiontostartat the other two campuses. Murdoch’s local chamber of commerce was approached and haveestablished the same setup using the same principles. The first event organised by AssociateProfessorandacoupleofuniversitystaffmembersandastudentwhowerewithintheagegroup.Thisgrouphasnowheldtwospeakingeventsandtwohasacorecommitteemadeupofstudents,staff,andalocalyoungbusinesspeople.
After being approached by the local chamber at Murdoch University’s third campus, a similarprogram and a start-up centre are being established at the third campus. Having also beenapproached by local schools and councils the potential for establishing at all three campusessomethingofasimilarnaturefor12to18-year-oldsisbeingexplored.
IMPACTData comes from observation and conversation, as well as media coverage. Many students andyoung business people have spoken of how useful the speaking events have been and how theyhavegained inspiration,arealisationthat it ispossibleforthemtoachieve,anunderstandingthatthingsdonotgotherightwayallofthetime,thatthesepeoplewhoareintoppositionsstartedoutnodifferenttothemandofpossiblecareerdirections.Thatanythingisachievablewithhardwork.
Thehostofthefirstevent,astudentatthetime,feltithadimprovedtheiropportunitiesonenteringtheworkforce,theyhaddevelopedconfidencetodealwithpeopleatveryhighlevelsandlearnthowtowork in a team of people from very varied backgrounds. Another of the committeemembersadvisedhowsimplyonespeakerhadledthemtoobtainapersonalmentor,despitebeingtoldtodothisatuniversityitrequiredaspeakeratYP’swhoisalreadyinindustryforittosinkin.Confidenceandabilitytonetworkatalllevelshasbeenamajorrecurringtheme.
AdditionalInformation
Thefollowingvideowasmadebyalocalyoungfilmmakerforthegrouputilisingfootagehetookoftheveryfirstevent.
Tags:Mentoring,CommunityEngagement,Leadership,IndustryEngagement,
CareerDevelopmentLearning,StudentSupport,Murdoch
