1. “Uni doesn’t teach you much about
people”
“I don’t feel my ideas are taken seriously”
“I haven’t received much training”
“There is a lot of politics to understand”
“I don’t feel like I have much control over
how I do things compared to uni”
“Work days feel very long and I need to start
so early”
“I miss the long holidays I had!”
“At work, success often depends on the team your in”
“Eventually I decided to take some initiative rather than wait”
“I don’t get much feedback on how I’m going”
“I’m not sure if I’m going really well or not sometimes”
“Uni hasn’t prepared me much for working life”
“I’m can’t control my success anymore because I need
to work with other people to get things done. They
are not always easy to work with”
“I’m probably not doing well because my boss
doesn’t say I’m doing a good job that often”
“It’s not that important what I do –
nobody cares that much”
“Maybe I
should look for
another job?
Confused Undervalued Unskilled
Controlled Uncomfortable
Insecure Resigned
• The graduate has found that the
initial challenges of working life are
not the same as what they had
focused on mastering at university.
• The graduate found success at
university depended much on their
individual ability and effort whereas
in the working world they need to
complete tasks with other people
assistance and deal with politics.
• At university results and growth
occurred quickly for this person
whereas at work, recognition,
respect and achievements are taking
time to develop and are not always
easy to perceive.
• The graduate is still coming to terms
with the loss of control of their time,
what they focus on, and how they
get things done.
• The transition from university to
work has been abrupt for the
graduate and they are not in a very
positive mental state.
• The graduate hasn’t mentioned any
resources used before or after the
transition which could have assisted
with the transition.
A bright, articulate and still
enthusiastic first-year engineering
graduate struggling with the
transition to work who
Develop a more positive mental
state about their working life and
how to develop new skills to be
successful in it
The skills he mastered at university
are not the same as what he
believes are required to be
successful at work
