KPMG and Deloitte hook-up with universities for skills programs
Australia’s top consultancies have been partnering with the country’s leading universities to address chronic skills shortages, with Deloitte and La Trobe and KPMG and Charles Darwin University the latest hook-ups.
Australia's top universities continue to deepen their ties with the country’s leading consulting firms, including the completion of KPMG’s second consulting skills accelerator program held in collaboration with Charles Darwin University (CDU) in Darwin and a fresh deal between Deloitte and La Trobe to launch a digital operations centre at the uni’s campus in Bendigo.
Both Big Four firms also have agreements in place with other academic institutes across Australia.
KPMG and Charles Darwin University
First launched last year, the Charles Darwin University-KPMG consulting skills accelerator program provides tailored skills training for students keen on a potential career in the Northern Territory’s advisory sector, with the latest cycle attracting 150 applications from students of a diverse range of academic backgrounds. Around 30 were shortlisted for the five-day workshop, with ten participants given the opportunity to interview with KPMG’s Darwin office.
“It’s a testament to the program’s success that many of these students and recent graduates could secure interviews with KPMG, with some going on to gain roles in the organisation,” stated Tasfia Miti, an industry consultant with CDU’s Careers Centre. “It is a wonderful program that aims on nurturing and retaining essential skill sets within the Northern Territory and we thank KPMG for their continued partnership and support.”
According to CDU, the selected students during the program gained insights into how to define client problem statements, deliver impactful presentations, and craft compelling proposal templates, while also receiving guidance on conducting thorough financial performance reviews.
In addition, the students participated in a CV clinic, conducted by KPMG’s emerging talent team and supported by local partner and program lead Sarah Hicks.
The program has also caught the attention of the local government, with education minister and treasurer Eva Lawler stating; “The Territory is a rapidly growing region and place of vast opportunity, providing long-term sustainable employment across an array of sectors. It's great to see KPMG expanding their local operations as a leader in the consultancy field, and even better to see their desire to nurture and retain local talent long into the future.”
Deloitte and La Trobe
Meanwhile, fellow Big Four professional services firm Deloitte has recently inked a deal with La Trobe University to help address the significant shortage of digital talent emerging from regional Australia. The new Digital Operations Centre at La Trobe’s Bendigo campus will provide local students and career-changers with work-based technology learning opportunities, supporting the delivery of services to Deloitte’s national client base.
“The need for digital innovation has never been greater, and the opening of the new centre in partnership with Deloitte reflects La Trobe’s commitment to producing highly employable graduates who can immediately address critical technology workforce shortages,” stated vice-chancellor John Dewar. “We are very proud of our deep connections to the Bendigo community and our commitment to world-class education in regional Australia.”
According to Deloitte’s chief transformation officer Dennis Krallis, the new digital centre will open in the first half of next year with the goal of providing 200 new employment opportunities for students enrolled in courses such as computer science, IT, and business.
The firm has previously established a similar academy in partnership with Adelaide University, while Fujitsu last week announced the launch of a new AI lab at Sydney’s Macquarie University.
