Career Readiness

About This Course

The purpose of this course is to provide you with the structure and skills to develop your career agency. You will become aware of career pathways, clarify your personal career preferences, generate a personal development plan, enhance your networking skills, and learn how to pitch yourself to prospective employers.

Convenors

Professor Rachel Spronken-Smith

I found my way into academia after initially working as an agricultural meteorologist. I gradauted from Otago with a BSc(Hons) a long time ago and worked for the NZ Meteorological Service. I then did a PhD in Geography at the University of British Columbia, and was captured into academia. I returned to a lectureship in Geography at the University of Canterbury, NZ in 1994. Then, in 2004, I moved to the Higher Education Development Centre at the University of Otago, where I worked to support lecturers in teaching, taught postgraduate courses in tertiary teaching, and researched innovative teaching approaches and graduate outcomes. From 2013-2022 I was Dean of the University’s Graduate Research School, and my research interests shifted to doctoral education and doctoral outcomes. Now back in HEDC, I am delighted to be offering courses to support the professional and career development of graduate research candidates and early career researchers and academics.

Yvonne Gaut

I started my working life at age 16, after being streamed into shorthand and typing at high school. I was bored with school, went to the Chief Post Office and asked for a job and walked away with a clerkship. I moved from the government sector into Telecom, supervising staff in the days when the very first mobile phones arrived in New Zealand. After time at home raising children, I returned to work but found the job unfulfilling. I worked part-time at Careers NZ helping clients with their CVs which encouraged me to further my education with a Bachelor of Education (Teaching). Through this experience I realised that I didn't want to work in a school so when I saw an Assistant Career Advisor role at the University of Otago, I applied and was grateful to be appointed the position. During my time at the University of Otago’s Career Development Centre, I obtained a Master of Career Development. I was then delighted to be designated the role supporting postgraduate students with their career aspirations. I am very much looking forward to continuing to provide career support and services through this course.