A few weeks changed the course of Xavier Kerrins’ career.
Xavier was studying electrical engineering at Swinburne University when he decided to apply for a work placement program with Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW).
He applied for work placement opportunities in both GMW engineering and IT teams, and was accepted for the latter.
“It was a great experience,” Xavier said.
“The placement ran during the break between semesters. I had probably been leaning towards a career as an engineer beforehand, but the placement gave me a taste of what working in IT would be like, and I really enjoyed it.”
Shortly after his work placement in 2019, GMW offered Xavier a 12-month contract for a role within its IT Team.
He would be offered another role before his contract expired and remains with GMW as one of the water corporation’s Service Desk Operators.
“I’m very grateful things worked out the way they did,” he said.
“If I hadn’t applied for the work placement it could have been completely different.”
Local university students now have a similar opportunity to Xavier, as GMW is relaunching its Undergraduate Placement Program.
The program ran for several years before going on hiatus during the pandemic.
It will be run during the break between the second semester of university in 2024 ending and the first semester in 2025 beginning.
GMW Manager HR Business Partnering Sophie Riddell said the program was beneficial to all involved.
“As one of the major employers in northern Victoria, we’re eager to help local students advance their careers and get hands-on experience,” she said.
“The Undergraduate Placement Program is a great way for us to do this and is fantastic for helping students develop new skills while making valuable industry connections.”
GMW has opportunities across various areas, including engineering, water resources, business management, and human resources.
More information on the program is available on the GMW website
Applications for this program will close on Sunday 27 October 2024.