February 15, 2017

UOW students top AFR’s GradConnection national leadership list

Two UOW graduates have won top honours in a nationwide search for emerging leadership talent, with five more named as finalists in the coveted top 100 list.

Conducted by employment website GradConnection and published in The Australian Financial Review, the Top 100 Future Leaders awards celebrate Australia’s best and brightest graduates in their final year of study.

UOW’s Jozo Frankovic (Bachelor of Commerce – Dean’s Scholar) won the KMPG Accounting Award while Leah Ravnjak (Bachelor of Commerce) won the Nestle Supply Chain Award. Finalists were Jessica Kiekebosch-Fitt, Daniel Zanatta, Chontelle Kelly, Gordon Akauma and Rohit Balachandran (full category list below).

With seven finalists, UOW was the sixth most represented Australian university among the final contenders.

With two category winners, UOW was ranked equal second in the winners’ circle alongside the University of Queensland, with leader University of Sydney only marginally ahead with a shared category award giving it 2.5 winners.

In addition to the formal awards, some category finalists are reportedly now well placed for possible employment with their category sponsor.

UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings CBE, said the award results reflect the University’s persistent focus on achieving positive graduate outcomes.

“I extend my congratulations to Jozo and Leah on their success, and to all the UOW finalists on being selected in their respective categories.

“Our strong representation in these awards alongside other leading Australian universities reflects our focus on offering a personalised and supportive student experience that produces career-ready graduates who are highly sought after by employers,” Professor Wellings said.

The awards attract thousands of applicants and bring together students, top graduate employers, academics, HR professionals and government.

Designed as a meaningful experience of graduate recruitment practices, the rigorous process uses methods favoured by many of Australia’s top employers, including psychometric testing and video interviews.

Winners and finalists were selected by graduate recruitment specialists in partnership with industry leaders. Successful students can leverage both the prestige of the awards and the selection experience to strengthen their prospects of securing their dream career.

UOW WINNERS

KMPG Accounting Award
Jozo Frankovic
Bachelor of Commerce (Dean’s Scholar)
Nestle Supply Chain Award
Leah Ravnjak
Bachelor of Commerce

UOW FINALISTS

Jacobs Engineering Consulting Award
Jessica Kiekebosch-Fitt
Bachelor of Engineering
Bachelor of Commerce
Daniel Zanatta
Bachelor of Engineering (Civil)
Bachelor of Commerce (Finance)
Chontelle Kelly
Bachelor of Commerce
Rohit Balachandran
Bachelor of Technology
Orica Mining, Oil and Gas Award
Gordon Akauma
Bachelor of Engineering (Mining)
Bachelor of Commerce (Finance)
Performance Education International Student Award
Rohit Balachandran *
Bachelor of Technology
* Nominated in two categories