Preparing students with job-readiness skills can be difficult without hands-on experience, and is something Newcastle-based IT company, Strategic Group is aiming to change.
Strategic Group recently joined forces with Hunter TAFE Foundation to create the Strategic Group Scholarship for two students studying a Diploma of Information Technology at a TAFE NSW campus in Newcastle, Maitland or Glendale.

The scholarship provided work placement for the two students within Strategic Group, where they got the opportunity to gain real-life industry experience while studying. What makes this collaboration different is that Strategic Group also committed to paying the students for their time worked on site.
Strategic Group CEO Chris Boswell, said the scholarship was an important development for their team, and a way to give back to the community.

“As a company dedicated to innovation and progress, we wanted to help young people studying IT gain exposure to the industry and readiness for the workforce,” Chris said.
Without on-the-job experience, it has been found to be difficult for students to enter the full-time industry and grow their skills to make them an attractive candidate to employers. The purpose of the scholarship was to help the students understand what it was like to work directly for an IT company, develop soft skills and make connections with people in the industry to benefit their future.

One of the scholarships is also specifically for female students enrolled in the course, to help increase female participation in the IT industry. According to the ABS, women only make up 29 per cent of the IT workforce, and only 33 per cent of students enrolled in tertiary education are women.

In 2024, the cohort presented to Strategic Group as potential candidates were extremely impressive, so much so the team chose to take on three students in one semester.
The students were a welcomed addition to the Strategic Group team where they got to try their hand at managing the Help Desk enquiries, joining client meetings and getting to know the ins and outs of the industry. Through the placement, one of the students from 2023, Jeremy Grant has since been offered a full-time position at Strategic Group.

“Working one day a week while studying was very manageable and a great way to put skills I was learning through my course at TAFE NSW into practice,” Jeremy said.

“The studies through TAFE NSW have prepared me well for working in the industry. The work placement has provided a valuable opportunity to extend my learning and gain more hands-on experience, which complemented the technical learning and really cemented the concepts taught by my teachers, who have experience in the industry themselves.”

“I found the placement invaluable for accelerating my career in IT and the combination of skills with experience makes you an extremely attractive candidate to employers. I really enjoyed the engagement with clients, exposure to different IT specialities, and that it ultimately led to a full-time role.
“Anyone considering a career change should know that it’s never too late to switch to IT, with numerous opportunities available in this field.”

Karen Howard, President of the Hunter TAFE Foundation, is proud to offer such a bespoke opportunity to connect TAFE NSW students with employment outcomes for in demand skills.
“The recognition and support of the scholarship, provides TAFE NSW students with valuable job ready skills whilst they are studying, making them an asset for any future employers,” Karen said.
Chris went on to say the scholarship has been mutually beneficial, as he has seen some of his own staff step into leadership and mentoring roles with the students.

“This program not only benefits Strategic Group by allowing us to offer employment to promising candidates, but also enables our own staff members to step up as mentors, helping the students while developing their own leadership skills,” Chris concluded.

Strategic Group and Hunter TAFE Foundation are aiming to continue the scholarship for future years, with a goal to continue increasing job-readiness skills for students and encourage female participation in the IT industry.

IMAGE | Placement Supervisor, Andrew Gardnir with TAFE students Ashley McCardle, Jarryd Dunn, and James Earl.