By Jason Xu and YT Wong (FEIT iAmbassadors)
If you’ve had a bad experience with career days, you might think of them as awkward events filled with recruiters telling students to simply ‘apply online’. But for FEIT International Career Day, the vibes are completely different.
Hosted for the very first time this year, FEIT International Career Day is a full day event tailor-made for FEIT international students, designed to upskill, inspire and open doors for students. Organised by iAmbassadors under FEIT Engagement Team, this event is ‘by students, for students’. Hundreds of attendees and alumni made their way to UTS during StuVac Week to attend this buzzing event.
In this post, allow us to uncover the behind the scenes of the event and why this is such a major milestone for the FEIT international student community.
Hitting the ground running
The day kicked off with a session on navigating the Aussie job market, in the Enhancing Your Employability Workshop. We were thankful to have Tracey from UTS Careers delivering a session that covered tips and tricks in decoding a job board, Australian work culture and mastering the art of pitch.
Our guest speaker Aryan, a FEIT alumnus, covered his journey in landing a role at NAB, a company that doesn’t traditionally hire international graduates. The inspirational journey that he shared was a reminder that life is indeed a highway, full of twists and turns, and sometimes unwavering resilience is rewarded with an unexpected win to let you stay on course.
Real stories, real people
The event was not only about enhancing the employability skills that international students need, but also providing authentic insights and advice for those considering either an industry career or pursuing Higher degree by research (HDR).
The midday sub-event, Industry Panel Talk, was divided into two parts.
In the first session, we had three alumni with practical industry experience — Ajanta, Jasmeet, and Anubhav. They shared their journeys on how they navigated the job market and built successful careers.
Less than a year ago, I was sitting in this very hall, attending events like this, looking up to the speakers and dreaming about my own future. To now be on the stage — it feels surreal!
Anubhav Neupane
In the second session, two UTS international alumni with HDR experience, Chenhan and Tianxin, offered their authentic insights and suggestions for international students considering a future in research.
During the session, I spoke about what inspired me to pursue a PhD, how I found my research topic, and the ups and downs of doing a doctorate. I also shared one thing I miss most about student life (group projects!) and one word I’d use to describe UTS — for me, it’s transformative.
Tianxin Fang
Standing out in style
In the afternoon, students were able to experience a Portfolio Power-Up Session – an excellent opportunity to sharpen their professional image.
To make a lasting impression, you must need something more than a resume.
Jonathan Morel
A polished GitHub, Website Portfolio, or ePortfolio that demonstrates your skills in practice are your best assets going into the second round of an interview. Having a portfolio is all about presenting yourself as a virtual, sharply dressed professional, polished, arranged and ready to take on work in the real world.
Sounding the whistle – game on!
We wrapped up with Networking Night, an energetic opportunity for international students to learn from industry professionals who were once standing in their shoes.
It was a little daunting at first. Stepping into a room full of alumni and recruiters, students may feel under pressure, but once the event welcome speech concluded they were able to pick up. The atmosphere turned lively, conversations flowed, and the room was bursting with energy.
Wrapping up on a high note
By the end of the day, 338 students had engaged with more than 40 industry guests, an incredible turnout for FEIT’s first large-scale international career event. Students didn’t just leave with tips and LinkedIn invitations, they left with real momentum. A day filled with inspiration, upskilling, honest conversations, and new beginnings.
Stay tuned for future events, more networking opportunities, and even bigger success stories.
