Throughout 2019, Career Accelerator @ UNSW Business School partnered with Development Beyond Learning (DBL) to deliver Mock Assessment Centres to approximately 300 students. The original brief was to give members of UNSW Accounting Society a genuine experience of an Assessment Centre as they prepare for the graduate recruitment season. Up to 45 students attended each session, where industry representatives were invited to observe and act as assessors. This experience offered small groups of students feedback on group activities; tips from the perspective of recruiters and hiring managers; and encouraged students to participate in their own self-reflection, while being guided by the DBL facilitator.
Following the success of the pilot, Career Accelerator extended the invitation to the second round of Mock Assessment Centres to applicants of the UNSW Business School’s Career Mentoring Program (CMP). This offered mutual benefit to all participants: by providing all applicants a development experience; and by utilising the Assessment Centre to select students into the program, to be matched with Alumni mentors.
For 2020, there were plans to continue the mock assessment centres on campus in March, mirroring the same audiences – UNSW Accounting Society members and CMP hopefuls. As it became clear that the on-campus, face-to-face assessment centres could no longer be delivered, DBL were in touch about piloting an online version of the experience, transforming the model of delivery for virtual engagement. The first of the sessions had overwhelming positive student feedback with 88% students agreeing that although online, the session was interactive with opportunities to participate.
To find out more about the delivery please contact Angela Hands at Development Beyond Learning, [email protected] or to find out about connecting with UNSW Business School students through Work Integrated Learning or Career Development Learning experience, please contact Anna or Elena through [email protected]
