Following the recent Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Board of Directors of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) would like to update the AAGE membership on changes to the Board. These include the departure of Thomasin Schmidt who has stepped down at the end of her Director term and the appointment of Madeline West as Director.

Thomasin Schmidt has served on the AAGE Committee since 2015 and the Board since November 2018 including serving as Chair from October 2020 – 2023. During her time on the Board, Thomasin led the development of the new strategy, contributed to the review and implementation of policies and processes, and supported the AAGE through a period of significant change. The Board thanks Thomasin for her service to the Board, the AAGE and the early careers industry.

With Thomasin’s departure, Madeline West was appointed as a Director during the 2024 AGM. The Board is thrilled to welcome Madeline onto the Board given her passion for the industry and experience she brings. Madeline is located in Brisbane where she is the Senior Early Careers Specialist at Arup, having dedicated the last five years to making a meaningful impact in early careers. With a background in both the banking and engineering consulting industries, Madeline has recruited graduates and interns across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. In addition to her early careers experience, Madeline works independently as a disability support worker. In this role, she supports clients in accessing social support and offering domestic assistance. The Board is looking forward to the contribution that Madeline will make as a Director of the AAGE.

With this appointment, the AAGE Board will be:

• Robert Blaze, Member Director and Chair
• Ann Brinkamp, Member Director
• Joanne Dean, Member Director
• Kelly Pfeffer, Member Director
• Madeline West, Member Director
• Fulvio Barbuio, Co-opted Director
• Amita Laroiya, Co-opted Director
• Allyson Yule, Company Secretary

Please contact info@aage.com.au for further information.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the early careers market, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2024 Top Intern Programs lists.

For the eleventh year in a row, the Top Intern Program rankings provide an authoritative guide for identifying employers that offer outstanding internship experiences, helping students to make informed decisions about their career opportunities.

The Top Intern Programs have been ranked in one of three lists of 20 based on their intake size, enabling improved comparability and usability. A total of 60 employers are featured across these three lists. The rankings are based entirely on feedback from interns themselves sourced from the annual AAGE Intern Survey. The AAGE commissioned McCrindle to administer the 2024 AAGE Intern Survey.

The survey was in the field between January and March 2024, surveying respondents who were engaged by a participating employer during the March 2023 – February 2024 period. Over 2,400 interns from 147 different organisations participated, offering valuable insights into the internship experience.

The survey is completed anonymously and students are asked to rate their employer across 15 different criteria including:

• Induction and training
• Content of work
• Ability to work on different projects or in different areas of the organisation
• Quality of supervision provided by management
• Amount of responsibility
• Access to senior management
• Feedback on performance
• Social life
• Organisation's culture and values

The subsequent analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of each employer's performance across the broad range of criteria. The individual responses from interns at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. The overall average ratings are then compared and ranked, subject to a minimum response rate. The employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at www.topinternprograms.com.au.

For further information please contact Shanan Green, AAGE CEO.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the graduate recruitment and development market, is pleased to announce the publication of the 2024 Top Graduate Employers lists.

Now in its twelfth year, the Top Graduate Employers rankings are the definitive guide to the best places to work for new graduates entering the workforce. The Top Graduate Employers listed are the organisations that provided the most positive experiences for new graduates based on the opinions of graduates themselves.

The rankings are determined entirely from survey feedback gathered from over 4,000 graduates who are in their first year of employment with these organisations. The AAGE commissioned McCrindle to administer the survey which was conducted between November and December 2023.

The survey participants are all current graduates who joined their employer's graduate program sometime in 2023, so they have up to 12 months of experience with their organisation.

The survey is completed anonymously and graduates are asked to rate their employer on around 30 different categories including:

• Orientation or induction program
• Training and development program
• Quality of work • Career progression
• Supervisor or manager
• Compensation and benefits
• Work/life balance
• Company culture

This analysis of responses from graduates in relation to these categories provides a comprehensive measurement of each employer's performance across a broad range of criteria.

All of the individual responses from graduates at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. These overall average ratings are then compared and ranked, subject to minimum response rate.

This year, employers have been ranked in one of three lists of 25 based on their intake size, enabling improved comparability and usability. A total of 75 employers are featured across these three lists. The employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at ww.topgraduateemployers.com.

For further information please contact Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers.

Following the recent Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) would like to update the AAGE membership on changes to the Board.

These include the departure of Chery Koe who has stepped down at the end of her Director term, the appointment of Kelly Pfeffer as Director and the transition of the Chair role to Robert Blaze.

Cheryl Koe has served on the AAGE Board since November 2020, during which time Cheryl has contributed to the development of the new strategy and supporting the AAGE through a period of significant change.

The Board thanks Cheryl for her service to the Board, the AAGE and the industry. With Cheryl’s departure, Kelly Pfeffer was appointed as a Director during 2023 AGM. The Board is thrilled to welcome Kelly onto the Board given the depth of both industry and governance experience she brings.

In addition to this Director appointment, Thomasin Schmidt who has served as the Chair of the AAGE Board from October 2020 has reached the end of her term as Chair so the Board has voted Robert Blaze as the new Chair of the AAGE Board of Directors.

“I am both honoured and privileged to have been able to serve as Chair of the AAGE for the past three years and am proud of what the Board and the AAGE team has achieved together over this time. The Board is delighted to appoint Robert Blaze to the role of Chair and is confident that we will continue to progress on our strategic journey under his leadership” said Ms Schmidt, ex-Chair of the AAGE Board.

Incoming Chair of the Board Mr Blaze said, “I am delighted to have been appointed to Chair of the Board of Directors and thank Thomasin for her unwavering leadership and devotion in leading the AAGE Board in a time of unprecedented change and strategic focus.

The AAGE has been a huge part of my professional life for several years and I am extremely excited at the direction the organisation is heading. I am fully committed to assisting the AAGE team, Board and Committee in driving the organisation’s strategic direction and will continue the amazing work that that has already commenced in this space.”

Kelly Pfeffer Graduate Talent Lead, Suncorp Kelly is located in Brisbane and is the Graduate Talent Lead at Suncorp, specialising in early careers talent programs for 15+ years in both private and public sector organisations. This includes working in industries such as Finance, Insurance, Technology, Engineering and Consulting with programs operating across Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada. Prior to this, Kelly worked in a number of human resource related roles including policy, performance management, diversity and learning and development. Kelly has been an AAGE member since 2006 and has previously volunteered on the Committee and Board from 2011 to 2019.

With these appointments, the AAGE Board will be:

• • Rob Blaze, Member Director and Chair
• • Ann Brinkamp, Member Director
• • Joanne Dean, Member Director 2.
• • Kelly Pfeffer, Member Director
• • Thomasin Schmidt, Member Director
• • Fulvio Barbuio, Co-opted Director
• • Amita Laroiya, Co-opted Director.

Please contact info@aage.com.au for further information

Following the recent Expression of Interest process, the Board of Directors of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) is excited to announce the appointment of two new Directors – Ann Brinkamp and Joanne Dean – who will join the Board with immediate effect.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Ann and Jo to the AAGE Board,” said Ms Schmidt, Chair of the AAGE Board. “Both of them have deep experience in the early careers sector across a range of different sectors and geographies. Their addition to the Board will further enhance and balance the skills on the Board as we continue to focus on our strategic direction as the peak industry body for the early careers sector in Australia”.

Ann Brinkamp

Ann is Manager - Early Careers for Monadelphous Group in Perth, where she leads the national vacation, graduate and apprentice development programs. Ann has extensive experience in the design and delivery of full-lifecycle talent development programs, as well as initiatives building employability and work-readiness skills. With involvement in the talent acquisition and development sector dating back to 2002, initially in Germany and then Australia, Ann brings a wealth of experience across not-for-profit and private organisations in multiple industries. Ann has been a member representative of the AAGE on behalf of multiple companies and also has prior governance experience of membership organisations having sat on the Board for Triathlon Western Australia.

Joanne Dean

Jo is currently Senior Manager Early Careers based in Sydney for global law firm, Ashurst. She is responsible for leading and coordinating the national graduate program in Australia with a focus on consistency, efficiency, and quality. Jo is passionate about attracting top talent and assisting students transition from university to a career in law. Over the past 13 years Jo has specialised in graduate recruitment and development, both in her current role and prior to Ashurst for a major retailer. Jo also has experience in generalist HR, management of recognition programs and facilitation of talent development programs. Jo has been a member representative of the AAGE on behalf of a number of organisations and for the last two years, she has further contributed to our industry through her involvement with the AAGE Committee. 

With these appointments, the AAGE Board will be:

• Thomasin Schmidt, Member Director and Chair
• Rob Blaze, Member Director
• Cheryl Koe, Member Director
• Ann Brinkamp, Member Director
• Joanne Dean, Member Director
• Fulvio Barbuio, Co-opted Director
• Amita Laroiya, Co-opted Director.

Please contact info@aage.com.au for further information.

In September 2022, our previous CEO Benjamin Reeves resigned from his role at the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE).

Mr Reeves was dealing with legal proceedings relating to personal matters that are not in any way connected to his role or employment at the AAGE.

The AAGE continues to focus on delivering excellent outcomes for its members.

Please direct any queries to Thomasin Schmidt, AAGE Chair of the Board, at chair@aage.com.au.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) is pleased to announce the publication of the 2023 Top Intern Programs list. In its tenth year, the Top Intern Program rankings are the definitive guide to the best places for students to gain work experience whilst studying at University.

The Top 50 intern programs listed are the organisations that provide the most positive experience for interns or students completing work placements based on the opinions of interns themselves. The rankings are determined entirely from survey feedback gathered from over 1,800 interns who have participated in a work placement with one of 105 organisations. The AAGE administers the survey which was conducted between January and March 2023. The survey participants all completed a work experience placement or internship in the previous 12 months.

The survey is completed anonymously and students are asked to rate their employer on around 15 different criteria including:

• Induction and training
• Content of work
• Ability to work on different projects or in different areas of the organisation
• Quality of supervision provided by manager
• Amount of responsibility
• Access to senior management
• Feedback on performance
• Social life
• Organisation's culture and values

The analysis of responses from interns in relation to these 15 different categories provides a comprehensive measurement of each employer's performance across a broad range of criteria.

All the individual responses from interns at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. All of these overall average ratings for each employer are then compared and ranked to produce a list of the Top Intern Programs. The 50 employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at www.topinternprograms.com.au.

The survey is conducted by the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the graduate recruitment and development market.

For further information please contact Shanan Green, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers, shanan@aage.com.au.

The Board of Directors of the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) today announced the appointment of Shanan Green as its new Chief Executive Officer following an extensive executive search process through an external search organisation. Shanan has been acting in the CEO role since mid-September 2022 and will move into the permanent appointment with immediate effect.

Shanan has a wealth of experience in the early careers industry having formed a passion for graduate recruitment early in her own career. Following the completion of her Bachelor Degree in Economics (Social Science) Hons from Sydney University, Shanan spent eight years at Macquarie Bank, three of which were spent leading the Graduate Recruitment team. During her time at Macquarie, Shanan was also responsible for the MBA Scholarship Program and volunteered for the AAGE Committee, before becoming an AAGE Director in 2006. Shanan returned to the AAGE in 2008, this time joining the team as a Project Manager and since that time she has worked to enhance the organisation’s research capability and consult with members to assist them in building best practice early career programs.

AAGE Chair Thomasin Schmidt said: “We are delighted to confirm Shanan Green as our Chief Executive of the AAGE, a dynamic, values-driven business leader, with immense knowledge of our industry. As the organisation embarks on the implementation of our new strategy, the Board and I are confident that Shanan is well placed to lead the team. Shanan’s experience, strong business acumen and leadership combined with her passion for this industry will be critical in ensuring the AAGE reaches its full potential as the peak industry body in the early careers sector here in Australia.”

Shanan said: “I am thrilled to take on the leadership of the Association that represents an industry I have been a part of for over 20 years. I am a passionate advocate for the role early careers can play in the strategic direction of an organisation and the impact those programs can have on the lives and career trajectories of the graduates joining them. I look forward to working with the AAGE Board, team and members to deliver our strategic vision that builds on the strengths of the AAGE, and continues to foster a community that creates the most valuable early career experiences in Australia.”

The Board is excited as this appointment marks the beginning of the next chapter for the AAGE. Please join us in congratulating Shanan in her permanent appointment to this role.

Please contact info@aage.com.au for further information.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) is pleased to announce the publication of the 2023 Top Graduate Employers list. In their eleventh year, the Top Graduate Employers rankings are the definitive guide to the best places to work for new graduates entering the workforce.

The Top 75 employers listed are the organisations that provided the most positive experiences for new graduates based on the opinions of graduates themselves. The rankings are determined entirely from survey feedback gathered from over 3,000 graduates who are in their first year of employment with these organisations. The AAGE administers the survey which was conducted between November and December 2022. The survey participants are all current graduates who joined their employer's graduate program sometime in 2022, so they have up to 12 months of full-time experience with their organisation.

The survey is completed anonymously and graduates are asked to rate their employer on around 25 different categories including:

• Orientation or induction program
• Training and development program
• Quality of work
• Career progression
• Supervisor or manager
• Compensation and benefits
• Work/life balance
• Company culture

This analysis of responses from graduates in relation to 25 different categories provides a comprehensive measurement of each employer's performance across a broad range of criteria.

All of the individual responses from graduates at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. These overall average ratings are then compared and ranked to produce a list of the Top Graduate Employers. The 75 employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at www.topgraduateemployers.com.

The survey is conducted by the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the graduate recruitment and development market.

For further information please contact Shanan Green, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers, shanan@aage.com.au.

The Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) is pleased to announce the publication of the 2022 Top Intern Programs list. In its ninth year, the Top Intern Program rankings are the definitive guide to the best places for students to gain work experience whilst studying at University.

The Top 40 intern programs listed are the organisations that provide the most positive experience for interns or students completing work placements based on the opinions of interns themselves. The rankings are determined entirely from survey feedback gathered from over 1,600 interns who have participated in a work placement with one of 106 organisations. The AAGE administers the survey which was conducted between December 2021 and March 2022. The survey participants all completed a work experience placement or internship in the previous 12 months.

• The survey is completed anonymously; and students are asked to rate their employer on around 15 different criteria including:
• Induction and training
• Content of work
• Ability to work on different projects or in different areas of the organisation
• Quality of supervision provided by manager
• Amount of responsibility
• Access to senior management
• Feedback on performance
• Social life
• Organisation's culture and values

The analysis of responses from interns in relation to these 15 different categories provides a comprehensive measurement of each employer's performance across a broad range of criteria.

All the individual responses from interns at a particular employer are combined and used to determine an overall average rating for that organisation. All of these overall average ratings for each employer are then compared and ranked to produce a list of the Top Intern Programs - the 40 employers with the highest overall average rating are shown at www.topinternprograms.com.au.

The survey is conducted by the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE), the peak industry body for the graduate recruitment and development market.

For further information please contact Ben Reeves, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Association of Graduate Employers, ben@aage.com.au.