Torrens University’s Industry Connect Health Trade Day 2022

We were delighted to come together on the 4th and 7th of October for Torrens University’s first Industry Connect Health Trade Day since the COVID lockdowns. Held at the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide campuses, the Trade Day gave our Health courses students the opportunity to connect with our industry partners, network with suppliers and hear what the various professional associations can offer them. There were also clinic tours, lucky door prizes and suppliers’ goody bags full of information and samples.

Beck Hockin, Torrens University and Think Education’s Industry Consultant for Health & Education, and her team organised this national event and received, ‘Excellent feedback from our industry partners and the students.’

Connect, network and gather industry information from Health professionals

As Beck explains, ‘The Trade Day provided Health students with the opportunity to connect with industry partners, professional associations and industry suppliers.

‘Our students could find out about the professional associations in their field, such as the Australian Traditional-Medical Society, the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association and the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia, which offer their student members access to online resources, as well as keeping them up to date with relevant information about their chosen sector.

‘Connecting with our Health industry partners helps students gain a practical understanding of what it's like to work in the industry – complementing what they're learning in class. Industry suppliers offer information about new products, educational seminars, workshops, and information and updates on what is happening within their industry. As well, they help students to open student and graduation-practitioner accounts.’

A feature of the Trade Day was the chance to start building networks. ‘I think a lot of people don't value the importance of creating those networks really early on when they are students,’ Beck says. ‘This is an opportunity to connect in a face-to-face capacity with people who are already working in your chosen sector. You have the chance to make an impact and connect with people who could potentially be your employers when you graduate. It is part of building your professional profile. It’s also a chance to chat with people who can share their lived experiences and stories about working in the industry.’

Our Health industry partners

We work closely with our industry partners to ensure our Health courses meet real-world needs and to help our students make industry connections. A key aim for the Trade Day was to give students the chance to meet with industry professionals and to find out about a wide range of industry associations and providers, such as Bio Concepts, Oborne Health Supplies, BioMedica and Metagenics.

‘Our industry partners were really excited to get a lot of interest from students, who signed up for memberships, collected information about the sector, and registered their expressions of interest for employment when they graduate,’ Beck explained.

The Industry Connect Health Trade Day is for all our Nursing students

‘We cater for students who have just started their courses and those who are in their final year,’ Beck says. ‘Many of the industry partners have information for graduating students, giving these students the tools to help them take that next step in their career once they graduate. It's also really important for students in the early stages of their courses to connect with their associations so they can stay up to date with the relevant information in their chosen sector.’

Becks Hockin’s experience as a Health Science student at Torrens University

‘I completed the Bachelor of Health Science in Clinical Myotherapy in 2018 at Fitzroy, at what used to be the Southern School of Natural Therapies (SSNT) campus. I then commenced my role as the Industry Consultant for Health & Education in January 2019. It was a really nice transition from being a student to taking on a full-time position and still being connected to a discipline that I'm passionate about.

‘My role is externally facing, and I liaise with our industry partners regarding work-integrated learning, clinical placements, employment opportunities, seminars, workshops, internships and industry connections. Part of that includes organising industry events such as trade days. It's quite a diverse role.’

Reflecting on the importance of the Health Trade Day

‘I think any opportunity where you can connect with Health professionals in a face-to-face capacity, especially while you're learning and building your network, is not to be missed,’ Beck says. ‘Start building your profile, start making those connections, having conversations. Also, for students who don't quite know what direction they want their career to go in, networking allows them to find out what other people are doing within the industry. There are so many pathways that you can venture down once you graduate.

‘At events such as the Trade Day students can meet people in the industry who are not working in the typical roles you would expect upon graduating from their courses. For example, they could be working as a sales rep for a supplier company or in regulation, product development or even education.

‘It is an ideal way to discover the opportunities that are open to you.’