After 12 years of schooling that focused heavily on results and academic achievements, TEDx speaker Josh Farr realised that grades are not a marker of success, nor can they guarantee it.

Outstanding assignment marks will not guarantee a job interview. Instead, employers now demand a broader skill set that cannot be taught in a lecture hall, a lab, or via Zoom.

Identifying this gap in the market, Josh was driven to form Campus Consultancy, an entrepreneurial leadership enterprise aiming to teach young leaders the principles, strategies, and mindsets that allow them to be impactful as both community members and workplace contributors. Having successfully worked with 26 Universities nationwide, St Hilda’s are now benefiting from Josh’s vision and expertise.

After connecting with St Hilda’s through the networking app LinkedIn, proving Josh’s strong belief that the path to success is 70% who you know, an Employability Program was created to develop strong connections with students, dedicated to self-improvement to further their career prospects. This structured program is tailored to all year levels with the aim to develop students personally and professionally, to gain an invaluable skillset for application in their future careers. With commitment, Josh guides students through the process and mentors them from day one in 1st year, throughout their time at the College.

For Josh, it is clear that embarking on a career is vastly different to that of prior generations. The Employability Program has woven in skills to boost emotional intelligence, perfect interview technique, and proposed volunteer opportunities for participants. With an emphasis on building an extensive, engaged community both in-person and online, Josh urges all students to reach out to their field mentors for coffee meet-ups, and communicate with role models regularly, as he has found this immensely beneficial for networking and job opportunities.

Josh views the act of leadership as a service to others, one which will undoubtedly bring happiness and fulfilment to those who partake. Now that his business has flourished beyond means, Josh will stay ahead of the curve, knowing what employers are looking for, and mentoring students to meet that need.