Awards night is recruitment boon for Coast companies
Leading Sunshine Coast businesses will be on the lookout for star recruits at the University of the Sunshine Coast’s annual Faculty of Business Awards and Prizes Ceremony on Monday 21 April from 5.30pm.
The event is eagerly anticipated by student award winners as well as industry award donors who gain a unique opportunity to meet some of the best and brightest business students in the region.
This networking opportunity paid dividends for graduating accounting student Kirsty Redgen, 20, who is set to receive four industry awards at Monday’s celebration at the Innovation Centre Auditorium.
Kirsty, who works as an accountant for Focus Professional Group at Cotton Tree, first met Focus director Allen Hertel when she won her first award two years ago.
A year later, with two more Faculty of Business awards under her belt, Mr Hertel hired her and she completed her Bachelor of Business (Accounting) degree part-time.
On Monday, Kirsty will receive the CPA Australian Prize for the Best Third Year Graduating Accounting Student, the KPMG Prize for the Best Student in Auditing and Professional Practice, the Rockcote Enterprises Prize for the Best Student in Management Accounting, and the Taxation Institute of Australia Prize for the Outstanding Student in Contemporary Accounting Issues.
The talented student said the annual Faculty of Business awards had been very motivating.
“I appreciate the recognition that comes from the industry professionals who donate the awards,” she said. “It means that people, other than my lecturers, have noticed what I’ve achieved.
“It’s also a good opportunity for networking, talking to employers and seeing what sort of jobs are available out there.”
Forty awards from 28 local, state and national businesses and organisations will be presented to USC students at the ceremony, along with 10 scholarships and bursaries for Year 12 students.
The industry awards – which range in value from $250 to $1500 and total $18,275 – are awarded to outstanding students in particular subjects or to an overall outstanding student in a particular major.
Among the industry award donors are Juniper Development Group, Rockcote, Buderim Ginger, Sunshine Plaza, Lend Lease, RACQ, CPA Australia and the Taxation Institute of Australia.
— Terry Walsh