The AAGE 2011 Conference: A First Timers Perspective

Posted by Belinda Luby

 

By Kate Spencer, OneSteel

 

As someone relatively new to the graduate world, my expectations of the AAGE conference were that I would meet a few people and learn some useful information. However, from the minute I walked in, I was struck by the amazing atmosphere. Both suppliers and employers were willing and eager to share their knowledge and best practice tips and tricks, and having a great time in the process.

 

What I enjoyed most about the conference was that it covered such a wide range of topics - from personal development through to professional development. I learnt a lot about myself through keynote speaker Allan Pease and the Reach Foundation seminar. I also learnt about best practice through a range of seminars which covered topics including online attraction, assessment centres and grad development. These seminars were run from the perspective of both suppliers and employers with participation encouraged.

 

As well as best practice, we were also presented with some in-depth facts and data from surveys that were conducted. Being new to the graduate world, I loved the statistics about applications, salaries and costs (among other things) of real-life programs and this is something I can't wait to share with the OneSteel team.

 

Some interesting facts I learnt from the conference include:

  • On average, graduates submit 8 applications with 44% receiving multiple offers
  • The median salary for graduate roles is $56,000
  • Mobile usage for attraction is currently at 8%

 

And lastly, we can't forget the social events- a chance to interact with our new connections. The Gala night on the Thursday was a great opportunity to let our hair down, frock up, and celebrate the successes of ourselves and the other people with us. OneSteel was nominated for two awards, so it was a proud moment representing my company, particularly considering the calibre of the finalists we were up against!

 

So did the conference meet my initial expectations of expanding my network and learning some new information? Yes and much more - it surpassed my initial expectations and I left the 2011 conference with more connections, knowledge and insights than I ever anticipated. I can't wait for next year!


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