Vacation Work Programs

Get your foot in the door with vacation work

If you want to work for one of the best companies in your field, it’s never too early to start making connections. Many of the big players offer vacation internships for undergraduates that give keen students the chance to gain practical work experience in their field and stay one step ahead of their classmates.

While other students in your degree are pouring beers or working at Safeway, you’ll be getting a taste for life as a professional and building an impressive resume. The industry contacts you make on your placement will be invaluable after graduation and may even help you secure a full time position with the company. Prestigious firms such as Ernst & Young or KPMG use vacation placements as an opportunity to preview students for their graduate programs and get first pick of the cream of the crop.

There are vacation work programs for students in a wide variety of disciplines including accounting, law, engineering, marketing and economics, in both the private and government sectors. Most internships are available over the summer holidays, with a short break over Christmas and New Year, but some firms also offer winter vacation work. Students are generally paid for their time.

To learn more about vacation work opportunities, look around this website, ask your lecturers or check out the websites of the companies you’re interested in.

Employer

Application closing date

ACT Treasury

October

ASC

August

Program to run from November to February

Cardno Ltd

See profile for more details

CS Energy

Contact CS Energy directly on (07) 3222 9566

Ernst & Young (Business)

Ernst & Young (Engineering, IT, Science)

Summer Vacation Program Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney: September

Melbourne, Perth: August

Hatch

September

KPMG

See profile for more details

Newmont Australia Ltd

August

Worley Pty Ltd

NSW: August

NT, QLD, SA, VIC, WA: see profile for more details

Lucy Gowdie completed vacation work with Parsons Brinckerhoff and is now working as a graduate civil engineer with the company.

"One of the main benefits of completing vacation work was that I became familiar with what is actually involved with the day to day life of an engineer. I observed how the company operated and met all the staff, so it was really a stepping stone to achieving a graduate position within the company."

"Try to meet as many people as you can during your vacation work program. Ask lots of questions and aim to learn as much as possible. Be proactive - if you see people working on a project that looks interesting, ask if you can be involved."

Hobsons graduate careers program & recruitment opportunities for Australian university graduates