RMIT students get a head start on their careers with Women@Dior

RMIT students get a head start on their careers with Women@Dior

In an Australian first, a mentoring program with one of the world’s most revered fashion brands is giving five RMIT students a head start in their careers.

The famous House of Dior launched its Women@Dior mentoring program in Paris in 2017 to coincide with International Women’s Day. The program aims to support young female students in building self-confidence and developing their professional careers.

This year, the RMIT students kicked off the first ever Australian Women@Dior program with a trip to Sydney to meet their Dior mentors at the Christian Dior Couture Head Office in Castlereagh Street, Sydney.

Dior Table Women siting around

The mentors are all young women working across a range of executive roles including marketing, communications, merchandising, retail design, human resources and finance roles, representative of the diversity of Dior’s professional activities.

Retail Management, Associate Degree F & T Merchandising student Johanna McLeod said the opportunity to meet with Dior mentors at their offices in Sydney was a highlight.

“Having the chance to hear how their careers have developed and their key learnings and advice was very insightful and reassuring, especially as we are in the early stages of our own careers,” she said.

“One of the key learnings I found was that you may not really ever know where your career will take you exactly, but by having a purpose and goals, working hard and being open to new experiences, you will find the opportunities that lead you to where you are meant to be.”

Mentors and mentees will keep in contact over the 12 month program, with mentors providing support and encouragement to help mentees develop the skills and attributes they need to transition into rewarding careers.

Vice President of Industry Engagement, Genevieve Reid, said she was delighted with the positive impact the mentoring program has already had on the students.

“The team at Christian Dior Couture has been extremely generous with their time and our students have loved the experience; it’s been terrific,” she said.

“This partnership between RMIT and Dior is a fantastic example of how we are giving our students a head start and readying them for life and work.”

The students taking part in the program are:

  • Hannah Purcell - Merchandising (Associate Degree F&T Merchandising) (DSC)
  • Johanna McLeod - Retail Management (Associate Degree F&T Merchandising) (DSC)
  • Katherine (Kate) Milburn - Marketing & PR Bachelor of Fashion, Merchandising Management) (DSC)
  • Judy Nidea - HR (College of Business)
  • Lauren Hannan - Finance (College of Business)

Story: Karen Phelan

11 May 2018

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11 May 2018

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