Choosing the best university for your career is an important decision. With so many courses on offer, it can be hard to decide which is the right one for you. Not only do you want to choose the right degree, you want to know that your university offers outstanding industry opportunities.

While a degree gives you the skills you require for your chosen profession, industry opportunities and networks are just as important. Employers love to see real industry experience. They want you work-ready with a wide range of skills and abilities from extra-curricular activities to industry mentoring programs.

So, how do you create the opportunity to land your dream job?

Here's our go-to list for fantastic industry opportunities that will help give your resumé an A+ when you graduate from UWA.

Industry opportunity 1 – 140+ student clubs

UWA has an amazing 140 student clubs available to you. This means there is something for everyone. Clubs like UWA Women in Business, Finance Association of WA and the UWA Music Students' Society, just to name a few. Joining one of these student clubs while studying is a great way to show your community involvement. You'll also build a network of likeminded peers that can support your career and employment opportunities in the future. Plus, employers want to see your commitment to extra-curricular activities, highlighting your skills and preparing you to meet top ad criteria for employment; including communication skills, working in a collaborative team environment and respect for other cultures and diversity.

Industry opportunity 2 –?Work Integrated Learning (WIL)

Having a degree is only the beginning. When hiring graduates, employers want you to showcase your industry experience. That's why a Work Integrated Learning program is so valuable. This program will assist you to build confidence when mastering new skills and gain real industry knowledge, as you develop and foster lasting networks that could lead to your first job out of uni. Programs like this add so much more to your degree and will benefit both you and your future employer.

Industry opportunity 3 – Career Mentor Link

Have the opportunity to be personally mentored from an industry professional through the Career Mentor Link. With a strong focus on identifying your career goals and developing your job-seeking skills, you will walk away with the confidence to enter your chosen profession. You will discover a better understanding of industry and gain exposure to current professional practices and trends, while also learning what employers are looking for to benefit your personal and professional networks.

Industry opportunity 4 – Access to exclusive events

As a UWA student you receive instant VIP Access to some amazing exclusive events. UWA's global reputation means that companies know we produce highly sought-after graduates, and so employers come straight to us to source with newly emerging talent.

This is one of the significant benefits of studying at a world top 100 university. The range of events offered is impressive, providing opportunities to engage with industry leaders from some of the world's largest organizations. These exclusive events allow you to learn from and network with some of the best professionals in their fields.

Industry opportunity 5 – Annual UWA Careers Fair

Want some help trying to land your dream job or internship? The annual UWA Careers Fair is a must attend event, setting you up to meet and network with potential employers. You'll love planning your career goals and researching about possible grad programs, internships and vacation work.

?And if you're searching for casual work while you study,?UWA runs a Jobs Fair for students seeking part-time and casual jobs. Both fairs run twice a year.

Both events are not to be missed, make sure they're pencilled into your diary well in advance.

Industry opportunity 6 – Venture UWA

Want to think like a startup, validate your ideas and build incredible teams? Or maybe you want to create products and services people love and discover the art of a great pitch.

Venture UWA offers a range of programs to help students develop enterprise and innovation skills, build capability and grow networks. And the best part, these are delivered at no cost. Yes, you read that correctly, these programs are completely free.

Taking part in Venture UWA is a must for next-generation thought-leaders who want to excel their careers. You could very well kick-start your own startup dreams through this program.?

Industry opportunity 7 – Careers and Employability programs

UWA has created careers and employability programs alongside our industry partners to help give your career a kickstart. Undertake career development activities like pre-placement modules, job preparation workshops and activities to build your employability skills. These initiatives are supported by qualified career practitioners to guide you in planning your career journey.

• Study Australia Industry Experience Projects (SAIEP):?This two-week virtual Study Australia program brings together students from across Australia into multi-disciplinary teams to work on real industry export projects with Australian and global employers. Upon completion of the program, you will receive a Government backed program certificate.
• Digital Industry Program (DIP):?Gain valuable experience through digital industry nano-projects, helping businesses, start-ups and community organisations improve their operations. This 2-week experiential learning program connects UWA student teams to real-world consulting projects for Australian organisations through a gamified project learning platform.?
• WACE Global Challenge:?UWA in conjunction with the World Association of Cooperative Education (WACE) and EdTech Practera, are offering students the opportunity to work on a 4-week real-world business experience. The WACE Global Challenge connects transnational multidisciplinary teams of students to undertake a real-world sustainable impact industry project for organisations across the globe.
• Forage Job Simulations:?Forage is a platform that hosts 300+ job simulations from 125+ employers across diverse industries. Forage offers a window into each company's day-to-day, and the chance to connect with early talent recruiters and unlock exciting opportunities.

Industry opportunity 8 – Social impact

The employment landscape has changed over past years, meaning future careers look a little different to what you might think. Employers are thinking outside the box and know they have a corporate and social responsibility to world issues. This means not only do they want to see you highly skilled in your chosen profession, but they also want to find graduates that are cause-driven and willing to make a difference in society.

The?Centre for Social Impact?is a fast-track to becoming a social-impact leader and addressing some of the most pressing issues in the world. You can enrol in the unit 'Changing the World: Social Innovation, Finance and Enterprise', which offers an introduction to the concepts and practices of social impact.

Students can also join the?McCusker Centre for Citizenship. Their goal is to foster caring, connected and socially engaged citizens for future generations. Their award-winning internship program offers learning with not for profit, community and government organisations' locally, regionally and globally. ?You can even gain academic credits towards your degree when you complete a successful internship through the program.