Melbourne Employability Accelerator

An exciting, innovative, digital experience designed to support your career journey.

Program Details

By engaging in this exciting career building opportunity, you will:

  • develop global employability awareness, preparedness and skills
  • understand how career mapping can guide you to achieve your professional goals
  • work on a project brief with your team to solve a real-world problem for an industry client
  • be awarded a certificate and a digital badge upon completion
  • develop your employability skills, expand your network, and boost your resume.

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Program Requirements

Students will be required to commit approximately:

  • 2-3 hours to complete the MEA Pre-requisite LMS Course
  • 25 hours over two weeks to complete the official MEA Program

Project Types

Teams will be allocated one of the following project types:

  • International Business

    Clients will select a focus market. Students will analyse the market and product-market fit, identify barriers to entry, and recommend available resources and support to enter the region.

    Scope of Work:

    • Provide a general overview of market attractiveness relevant to our product/service.
    • Using secondary research, analyse and provide insights on potential customers in this market.
    • Identify the top 5 competitors in the market.
    • Identify interesting new technologies, start-ups and innovations relevant to my industry in the suggested market.
    • Identify potential opportunities (including government support) and limitations for growth/entry to consider.
  • Sustainable Impact

    For organisations seeking new ideas to manage the social and environmental effects of its operations in line with public expectations. Students research practical options to enhance client organisation’s social or environmental impact in the world.

    Scope of Work:

    • Analyse and present the organisation’s purpose and alignment to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
    • Using secondary research, identify & compare the top 5 successful initiatives or programs that addressed our Sustainable Impact Goal.
    • Outline opportunities or activities that might enhance our organisation’s social or environmental impact.
  • Digital Marketing Strategy

    Students will develop a digital marketing strategy to help clients maximise their existing digital media platforms or adopt new ones.

    Scope of Work:

    • Outline the organisation & the target audience.
    • Evaluate existing digital marketing presence (if we already have digital marketing channels).
    • Research and evaluate best digital marketing practices of comparable organisations with similar target audiences, using appropriate digital marketing metrics and secondary sources.
    • Outline suggested key steps to improve our future digital marketing presence based on research and industry trends.

Eligibility

To be eligible to join the Melbourne Employability Accelerator (MEA), you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a currently enrolled student at The University of Melbourne. Recommended for first and second year students.
  • Have the appropriate IT and technical resources to successfully participate virtually in the digital program (e.g. laptop and reliable internet connection).
  • Complete the MEA Pre-requisite LMS Course

What does the MEA Pre-requisite LMS Course involve?

  • Six modules; each module takes approximately 20 - 30 mins to complete.
  • It gives students the opportunity to reflect on their professional identity, set career goals, and understand the employment landscape, encouraging them to reflect and explore.
  • Student will gain a better understanding of the MEA  Program through the Course.

Key Dates

Key dates for the next MEA intakes are provided below:

  • Intake #1: March 2024
    DateEvent
    Monday 5 February 2024Applications open
    Sunday 18 February 2024Applications close
    Monday 18 March 2024Induction Session
    Monday 25 March 2024Program commences
    Sunday 7 April 2024Program concludes
  • Intake #2: September 2024
    DateEvent
    Monday 8 July 2024Applications open
    Sunday 11 August 2024Applications close
    Monday 9 September 2024Induction Session
    Monday 16 September 2024Program commences
    Sunday 29 September 2024Program concludes
  • Intake #3: February 2025
    DateEvent
    Monday 8 July 2024*Applications open
    Sunday 11 August 2024*Applications close
    Wednesday 29 January 2024Induction Session
    Monday 3 February 2025Program commences
    Sunday 16 February 2025Program concludes

    *Please note, applications for February 2025 intake will be closed on August 2024 together with September 2024 intake

Program Recognition

Over the final two weeks of the MEA program, you will have the opportunity to apply your employability skills in a real-world industry setting by participating in the project based component of the Program.

This project will allow you to gain valuable experience and engage in developing a range of employability skills including:

  • solve real business problems for client organisations, ranging from starts-ups, small, medium-sized and large enterprises, to Victorian Government agencies and community organisations
  • learn to plan and develop a business case, and pitch your ideas to the client organisation
  • collaborate with a dynamic and diverse team, working with students across degrees, year levels and disciplines
  • Be recognized with Melbourne Plus and receive the Innovation digital badge
  • earn a certificate and a digital badge upon completion.

Melbourne Employability AcceleratorMelbourne Plus Innovation

Student Experiences

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Bowen Zhang

I am excited to share that I have graduated with a distinction from the Master of Information Systems degree at the University of Melbourne! Over the past two years, I have learned from exceptional educators and mentors, and collaborated with inspiring peers. A heartfelt thank you to my university, all dedicated lecturers, professors, tutors, and my incredible friends who have been pillars of support and guidance throughout this transformative experience. As I step into the future, armed with a wealth of knowledge and skills, I am eager to embrace the new adventure in Australia!

Katyayani Kwatra

Exciting News! 🚀

I'm thrilled to announce that I have successfully completed all 7 stages of the Melbourne Employability Accelerator program (MEA). This has been a truly transformative journey for me, filled with personal and professional growth.

Through this program, I had the opportunity to acquire an in-depth understanding of the Australian workplace and cultivate critical employability skills, such as leadership, innovation, problem-solving, collaboration and cultural consciousness. These skills will undoubtedly contribute to my ongoing personal and professional development and I am truly excited to apply them in all my future endeavours.

Furthermore, I'm excited to share that today marks the beginning of the Digital Industry Project, the second phase of the MEA program. Over the next two weeks, I will be collaborating with a diverse and highly skilled team of students to tackle real-world challenges by conducting in-depth analyses, developing design and digital marketing strategies and formulating recommendations to support a start-up construction firm's growth. This experience will allow me to refine my transferable employability skills and gain invaluable industry exposure.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the University of Melbourne and the Practera team for providing me with this extremely wonderful and rewarding opportunity. This program has not only broadened my horizons but also equipped me with the tools needed to excel in this rapidly changing world.

Lisa Ye

🌟 Exciting Journey in the MEA Program! 🚀

Over the past two weeks, I've had the incredible opportunity to participate in the MEA program, where I had the privilege of conducting market research for my client, Shador Medical.

The experience has been nothing short of enlightening, as I delved deep into the dynamic healthcare landscape of the Mexico market.

💡 Key Learnings:

In the course of this MEA program, I've not only deepened my understanding of market research but also honed my communication skills. Effective communication is a cornerstone of success, and the virtual nature of the program has provided a unique platform for improvement.

Below are three pieces of advice for effective communication:

🌐 Global Communication Advice:

1️⃣ First Impressions Matter: Making a positive first impression is crucial. Be mindful of your tone, body language, and the clarity of your messages.

2️⃣ Time Zone Awareness: being aware of different time zones and schedule meetings considerately.

3️⃣ Proactive Outreach: Actively reach out to fellow participants and industry professionals, and foster collaborations with participants for a richer experience.

🙌 Gratitude:

I am immensely grateful for the support and guidance from our client Shahin Sayyar Dashti and the collaborative spirit of my teammates Eden X., Kah Wai Lim, Cynthia Sharon, Anthony Soh Yong Qi, Devyani Suresh Maru , and Jisung Lee. Also a thank you to Practera for the platform support, and the University of Melbourne for providing this opportunity to students. It's been a collective effort that has truly made this experience exceptional.

📈 Looking Ahead:

As I reflect on the past two weeks, I am filled with excitement for the future. I'm eager to hear your thoughts and insights on market research and global collaboration! Let's continue the conversation. 🤝✨

Frequently asked questions

  • Is MEA free? Is the whole MEA program online?

    Yes, the MEA is a free, voluntary, extra-curricular skills development opportunity recommended for international undergraduate students in their first or second year.

    The MEA is a completely online program and will require you to have the appropriate IT and technical resources to successfully participate (e.g. laptop and reliable internet connection).

  • Does MEA have prerequisites? Is MEA a selected program?

    Yes, to be eligible to join the MEA, students must meet the following criteria:

    • Be a currently enrolled student at The University of Melbourne in your first or second year.
    • Have the appropriate IT and technical resources to successfully participate virtually in the digital program (e.g. laptop and reliable internet connection).
    • Complete the MEA Pre-requisite LMS Course.

    The strength of the MEA is its diversity. It is open to all University of Melbourne students, across all degrees and disciplines, and gives students the opportunity to work with other students from different backgrounds.

  • What is the time commitment for the MEA program?

    Student will be required to commit approximately:

    The MEA Pre-requisite LMS Course can be accessed once applications open via the "Apply Now" button. The MEA Pre-requisite Course consists of six modules that give students the opportunity to reflect on their professional identity, set career goals, and understand the employment landscape. Throughout the modules you will be encouraged to reflect and explore.

    The MEA Program will have 2-3 intakes per year. Upon the completion of the MEA Pre-requisite LMS Course, students will be eligible to  partake in the official MEA Program where students will be assigned into teams and allocated a project brief to work on for an industry client.

  • Will we have a mentor in the program?

    No, you will not have a mentor during your MEA experience.

    The Practera team will support you throughout the MEA program, you can reach out to the team if you have any questions or concerns by email.

    You will also be assigned a real industry client from an array of mainly Australian organisations.

  • What is the MEA Induction session?

    Attendance is mandatory as part of the MEA Program. You will find information about how the MEA program, app and experiences work in the MEA Pre-requisite LMS Course.

    During the induction session, you will be provided with all the information you need to successfully complete the client project and to hear from a panel of industry employers.

  • What course level/career stage is the MEA program meant for?

    The activities in the MEA Pre-requisite LMS Course are designed to prepare all students for the employment landscape by providing fundamental tools and resources. While you may already be aware of the strategies presented, we recommend you use the career accelerator as an opportunity to deepen your understanding and reflect on your overall career readiness.

    Engaging in the MEA Program will be a valuable experience no matter how qualified you are, it will be an opportunity for you to demonstrate your transferable employability skills as you collaborate with your team to solve a real business problem for an industry client.

  • When will I be allocated into a team?

    You will receive further information about the MEA, including your team, client and project details following the MEA Induction Session (only those who attend will be able to participate in this experience). You will be supported throughout your consulting project by Practera.

  • When will I get the MEA digital badge and e-certificate?

    You will receive your MEA digital badge and e-certificate as soon as you have completed the ‘Participant Feedback Survey’ within the MEA app.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the MEA program, please send them through to student-engagement@unimelb.edu.au.