If you’ve been following us on social media, you’ll most likely be aware that, in 2016, we ran the inaugural ‘Rostering For a Happier Workplace’ scholarship.
We’re big believers in the importance of employee engagement and workplace culture, and we’re keen to instil those values in the next generation of entrepreneurs and thought-leaders. This scholarship, open to all students studying business, marketing, HR, entrepreneurship or other related disciplines at approved Australian tertiary institutions, provides the winner with $1000, as well as one-on-one mentorship from the senior Ento team.
(Not bad, right?)
Given that this was the first time we’ve run a scholarship, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. What if we got no applicants? What if we got only really, really bad applicants?
Luckily, that wasn’t the case. We got a load of applications, from smart, talented, driven students across Australia. We soon realised that we’d been concerned about the wrong thing. The issue wasn’t going to be choosing a winner from a pool of bad candidates. The issue was going to be choosing a winner from a pool of really great candidates.
However, at the end of it all, there was one candidate that really stood out for us.
Meet our 2016 scholarship winner
Jack Williamson is a Bachelor of Commerce student at Curtin University, where he’s majoring in Marketing and Management. He pipped all other applicants to the post with his short essay on the role of technology in human resource management. (The full text of Jack’s winning essay is at the very end of this article.)
Being based in WA, we’ve yet to meet Jack in person – so we’ve asked him a few questions via email to get to know him, and his motivations, a little better.
By getting to know Jack, we’re getting an insight we wouldn’t have otherwise had into how the next generation of business leaders is approaching the world. Here’s what we asked him, and what he had to share with us:
Name
Jack Williamson
What are you studying?
Bachelor of Commerce.
Why did you choose to study this course?
Commerce is an incredibly broad field. I feel I can leverage what I learn in the course for many opportunities in global mobility, commercialisation of emerging technologies and social enterprises.
What do you think your life will look like after graduation?
I am still deciding whether I want to complete a year of Honours, pursue entrepreneurial ambitions, or whether to join a reputable company. Regardless, I am looking forward to the journey!
How did you find out about the scholarship?
I discovered the scholarship through my university!
Has winning the scholarship made you more interested in the startup scene in Australia?
Yes it has, research and conversations into Aulay’s journey have increased my interest and ambition in the startup scene both locally and globally.
What do you think, if anything, is holding Australia back from being a true world-leader in software, tech and innovation?
There are several key factors. One is our natural endowments for both mining and agriculture. We can afford to rely on those sectors for delivering wealth and economic growth. Another is our lack of population density, especially in my home city of Perth.
I write about it in an article called “Backwards not Upwards”. Population density allows for higher productivity and transference of ideas and collaboration, which contributes to innovation.
I also believe entrepreneurship needs to be encouraged at earlier levels of education, and this needs to be directly correlated to real-world issues that the community faces day-to-day. I am currently preparing a pitch for a start-up to aid this, something which I’ll be sure to lean on Aulay’s advice for!
What kind of advice would you give to anyone looking to apply for the 2017 scholarship?
Take time to understand Aulay’s journey. When given the essay topic, go deeper. Comment on the future to show foresight and awareness of the world around you.
What is your absolute ultimate career goal?
To be my own boss and to add value to the world around me.
What happens now?
Given that Jack is based in Perth, and we’re based in Melbourne, we’ve had to tweak our initial idea of giving our scholarship winner 5 hours of mentorship in the office.
Instead, Jack will maintain email contact with Ento founder and MD, Aulay, throughout the year. He’s also promised to drop in and visit us next time he’s in town – something we’re all looking forward to!
2017 scholarship
2016 was such a success, we’re doing it all over again.
If you’re interested in applying for this year’s scholarship, please visit the scholarship pagefor details. Applications opened on February 27th, and close at 5pm EST on July 10th.
We can’t wait to see what the next crop of applicants has to offer!
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To keep up to date with Jack (or to send him a congratulations!), find him on:
You can read Jack’s winning submission below:
Human capital, whether it be skilled white collar workers, blue collar tradesmen or freelancers are all facing severe pressure in contemporary business times.
The rise of technology up until the late 2000s has assisted economic growth, in allowing productivity and globalisation to increase exponentially. However, today in 2016 growth in technology areas such as the Internet-of-Things, A.I, automation and digital marketplaces have reduced barriers to entry and increased competition on business activity.
This has meant more than ever, workers face stiffer competition for fewer jobs and higher needed productivity. With every problem however, there is a chance for opportunity.
Within the human resources industry, leaders can utilise technology to increase worker satisfaction and adaptation. For example, Perth based start-up ‘Sciosity’ enables companies to use virtual reality to simulate workplace problems and necessary experiences. Moreover, the ability of companies to use big data means HR can accurately pinpoint variables affecting a worker’s performance and position within a company.
As someone expected to graduate in 2017 with a Commerce undergrad in Marketing and Management, I am excited to enter the workforce in these exciting areas. I believe technology can be a force for good, and can help rather than hinder business.
Disruptive innovation is a concept that constantly fascinates me, and I have marvelled at the many case studies world wide of strong, traditional business failing against this young, effective start-up culture.