AUT Edge awards Stories
Michelle Young found her edge by overcoming her shyness and undertaking the AUT Edge Award. Not only did she develop the confidence to enter the AUT X Challenge, Co.Starters, but she won the AUT Edge Award inaugural Overall Achiever Prize from Seek NZ.
Johnathan Lopeti started the AUT Edge Award to boost his CV but it gave the shy teenager a boost in many, many other ways, including landing a graduate role with the Digital and Technology arm of BNZ.
Peter Jean-Paul, winner of the Overall Achievement prize for the AUT Edge Award, has found the award changed his way of looking at the world. providing opportunities he hadn't dreamed of..
When Yves Guo started the AUT Edge Award, he was a shy and introverted student who struggled to have any belief in himself. Over his AUT Edge Award journey, Yves developed into a more confident, creative personality who pushed outside his comfort zone to help others.
Want to have fun with others while improving your employability skills and doing something purposeful? For many AUT students the AUT Edge Award offers just that. Here is what the top five AUT Edge Award students from last semester have to say.
Want to have fun with others while improving your employability skills and doing something purposeful? For many AUT students the AUT Edge Award offers just that. Here is what the top five AUT Edge Award students from last semester have to say.
The two Edge Award Overall Prize Winners undertook a huge number of hours of volunteering and leadership that not only showed a huge commitment to community, but pushed them to become much stronger and confident people.
A roller coaster of a ride is how Khooshi Patel describes her AUT Edge Award journey, which culminated with Khooshi receiving the SEEK Volunteer prize for volunteering at the AUT Employability Awards graduation ceremony at AUT on Monday 14 November. The prize is awarded to the student who went over and beyond with volunteering during the award.
“I now know I can approach new challenges, no matter how hard,” says Karan Patel, who received the MYOB Personal Growth Prize at the Employability Awards Graduation Ceremony on Monday 14 November. “I am proud to receive the personal growth prize. The AUT Edge Award shows me that I have grown from being someone who can't do things to someone who can. I used to be isolated and fearful.”
Unexpected Changes through AUT Edge Award
The decision to take up the AUT Edge Award was a game changer for Khadija Alqassadi who developed a renewed belief in her abilities through the award.
A feisty go-getter is the first AUT student to gain both the AUT Edge Award and the inaugural postgraduate Beyond AUT Award. To do two awards concurrently is a big ask for anyone, especially someone with extra responsibilities.
When students talk of how the AUT Edge Award has changed their lives, you know it is making a significant impact well beyond ticking the boxes.
Maya Jaros did great things in leadership during the AUT Edge Award. You too can start getting more involved in leadership activities and networking through attending sessions at Employability Matters, coming up 13 August.
As well as establishing a Human Resources Club at AUT, Munaal put many hours into helping other students. Her leadership skills and commitment to others won her the AUT Edge Award Leadership prize.
“I’ve come to know that challenges aren’t things to fear, but to be embraced and to learn from,” says Sheldon Hall, winner of the EY Leadership prize for the AUT Edge Award. He found the award not only enhanced his soft skills but helped him find his focus and passion.
Why do an employability award when you are already busy with study, sport, socialising etc? See what our AUT Edge Award and Beyond AUT graduates have to say about what they have gained from doing the awards.
“The AUT Edge Award has given me the opportunity to gain confidence and find new experiences in which to push myself out of my comfort zone,” says Hannah Whyte who logged over 1000 hours of volunteering throughout her award journey.
Volunteering - tick! Leadership - tick! Employability workshops - tick! You'll be feeling good. Just the final Edge reflection/Beyond interview to go and you'll have completed the award you've put many hours of free time into.So don’t ruin it all now by not allowing enough time to work on your Final Reflection/Interview. Typically, it can take from 2 to 8 hours to draft, refine, polish and complete
Want to get out of your bubble a bit, increase your confidence and feel connected more to the world? Two students talk about how much they have grown in confidence and developed valuable skills through volunteering and the Edge Award. Get inspired.
Fulfilling academic study this year has been tough, yet 80 AUT Edge and Beyond Award students managed to also successfully complete their awards despite arduous times.
When Giri Gonsai found out about Employability and Careers after picking up a flyer at Orientation, the Postgraduate Computer and Information Science student realised he’d stumbled onto a way to charge up his year and become fully prepared for employment. And he was not wrong.
Having to volunteer during the AUT Edge Award opened Liubov Sidorova’s eyes to the huge social impact individuals, like herself, can make. Liubov won the Social Impact prize for her huge involvement in many community ventures around sustainability.
Volunteering is great for the soul - but also for your job prospects. Employers say 90% of all employers will interview someone with volunteering on their CV over someone who hasn't, according to SEEK NZ General Manager. Read about our Volunteering Prizewinner Kelly D'Mello.
The 15 students that completed the Beyond AUT Award this year demonstrated great resilience and resourcefulness, with two standing out in particular. Read how the Award has made such a difference to their lives.
Stepping up to the challenge of taking on leadership roles rather than staying in the background has been a major achievement for Etienne Tapueluelu who received the Cordis Hotel Beyond AUT Overall Award prize at the Employability Awards Graduation Ceremony on Monday 14 November. The prize is awarded to the student who went over and beyond in all aspects of their award journey.
A significant chapter of personal and professional growth is how Beyond AUT Award Overall Prize winner Karan George describes her Beyond AUT Award journey. “The award has helped develop my leadership skills, bolster my confidence, and foster community engagement and compassion,” she says.