Next Steps for New Gen grads
Under the Melbourne Model, there are a number of options for New Gen graduates:
- Masters - professional entry or professional development.
- Graduate research via Honours, Masters, and / or PhD.
- Employment.
Read further about these options in Next Steps.
What's appropriate depends on your career direction and what further study is required or useful.
Why graduate study?
Graduate study for professional preparation is becoming more common; however not all career paths require this.
- Some careers clearly require further study – professions requiring specific accreditation e.g. Law, Architecture, Social Work, Teaching or Medicine.
- Some require further study to develop specific vocational skills (even if not ‘mandated’ by the profession) e.g. an Arts graduate wanting to work in curating.
- For some careers, further immediate study is not required e.g. a Commerce graduate heading into Accounting.
- For others, further study will be discretionary and will depend on a range of factors such as relevant experience and opportunities (e.g. an Arts grad wanting to work in communications) and whether your competitors are more qualified.
- Further study may be necessary if you wish to change your career direction.
Not clear about what is required or useful for your career plans?
Suggestions:
- For specific professions, check out Professional Associations information (available in the Career Research section of Online Career Tools).
- Talk to people in your preferred career – academic staff, Alumni, employers, representatives of Professional Associations.
- Talk to graduate course coordinators and ask about how their course will impact on your employment prospects.
- Check out job sites to see what qualifications are required for positions of interest.
- Make a Careers Consultation appointment.
Graduate study – now or later?
Even if you plan graduate study, you may go straight on or spend some time in the workforce first. Consider factors such as:
- your motivation to study at this point
- your desire for working life and need for income
- the possibilities for immediate employment in your field
Short courses can be useful too
Remember that in addition to graduate programs, further study includes short courses e.g. single subject study at university, shorts courses through TAFE, or Professional Associations. Short courses can be useful to acquire a specific skill. As an example, a Media and Communications graduate might enhance employability by taking a short course in web design.
To explore further study options:
- Graduate study offered under the Melbourne Model.
- Graduate study elsewhere - my future (Go to The Facts….to Courses and Programs).
- Short courses - Short Courses Victoria and TAFE Course Guide.