What it does: The leading provider of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Staff stats: Around 110,000 globally
The good bits: Working for cutting-edge, global business
The not so good bits: Lots of business travel can be a mixed blessing
Hiring grads with degrees in: Engineering, Maths, IT & Computer Sciences; Finance, Accounting, Economics & Business Administration
In 1876, a 30-year-old Swedish instrument maker called Lars Ericsson launched a repair shop in Stockholm that, among other things, repaired telephones. Within a couple of years, Ericsson was making and selling his own telephone equipment. Soon he was striking agreements with the Swedish version of Telstra to supply them with switchboards and phones.
Long story short, Ericsson quickly became a major player in the telephone equipment market throughout Scandinavia. By the dawn of the 20th century, his business was conquering the world. Including Australia, where it started selling its equipment in 1890. Even back then, Antipodeans were early adopters of technology and Australia-New Zealand was soon one of Ericsson’s major markets. This led to Ericsson progressively ramping up its presence down under. Today, the local subsidiary, Ericsson Australia, not only conducts sales in Australia, but it also exports to many countries in the booming Asia-Pacific region.
Still headquartered in Stockholm, Ericsson is now a vast multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company. It holds over 39,000 patents and operates in 180 countries. In 2016 it had net sales of US$24.5 billion.
As might be expected of a company based in the world’s most progressive nation, Ericsson takes diversity seriously. So seriously, it publishes detailed information about the demographic make-up of its workforce on its company website. It does this “to be transparent and because we believe it is important in order to measure progress.”
Ericsson has long had a strong commitment to “equal opportunity in employment, development, compensation and all other personnel actions without discrimination due to race, colour, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, religion, political opinion, nationality, ethnic background, social origin, social status, indigenous status, disability, age or union membership”.
It has a Global Diversity and Inclusion Council comprised of senior leaders within the company. It also celebrates an annual diversity awareness month, sponsors events such as ‘Lesbians Who Tech’ and has employee networks for its female and LGBTQ staff.
Ericsson has a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility. It publishes a ‘Sustainability and corporate responsibility’ report annually. This details the company’s progress as measured against UN Sustainable Development Goals. Ericsson also aims to “establish leadership in energy performance [and] use a circular approach in the management of materials, waste and water, as we develop and deliver solutions to support climate action”.
The company’s ‘Technology for Good’ program, often in collaboration with various public and private organisations, uses ICT to address issues such as poverty, hunger, financial inclusion and access to education and health.
Ericsson Australia recruits “talented graduates with strong academic capabilities” in business, computer science, information technology and engineering. You’ll need to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident and be willing to be based in Sydney or Melbourne. Ericsson looks for candidates who have “exceptional communication and people skills, leadership experience, involvement in extra-curricular activities and a willingness to travel”.
The recruitment process starts with an online application. The subsequent stages involve a phone interview; taking part in a group interview; psychometric testing and final interview with a manager.
Ericsson’s grad program runs from 12-18 months. It includes a three-week-long induction and two rotations, suited your skillset and ambitions, that lasts around six months. You’ll be provided with on-the-job, project-based, online and classroom learning. You’ll also have the opportunity to work alongside some of the telecommunication industry’s brightest minds in a supportive and collaborative environment. As a grad, you could find yourself developing your skills while working on anything from Telstra’s 5G network implementation to the National Broadband Network Managed Services to cloud infrastructure..
Grad salaries are between $65,000- $70,000. (There’s the potential to start earning significantly more as you rise through the ranks.) You’ll also be eligible for their incentive bonus program from day 1 (+ Superannuation). You’ll have plenty of opportunities to travel around Australia and the world as your career grows. All staff are provided access to an Ericsson funded discounts program and have the ability to gain recognition and reward through a leading success community platform. Ericsson offers generous parental and partner leave and encourages flexible hours and work location. Other tangible benefits include annual Flu Vaccination, Skin Checks, Ericsson funded Life and Income Protection Insurance, ad hoc Yoga & Zumba classes, financial planning seminars and access to car novated leasing.
Ericsson has an internal Young Professionals community, a collection of all interns and graduates from the past 5 years, who receive targeted training and development throughout the year and gather in person at a yearly event to share knowledge and network. When combined with the all employee end of year event, numerous catered events held for fund raising or staff meetings and individual team outings, there are plenty of opportunities to learn, socialise and network with your peers.
While it may not offer lavish salaries or benefits, Ericsson does strive to be a great place to work and has a trophy case full of ‘Best employer’ awards from across the globe.
The company aspires to be a “platform for boundless achievement for all of our employees” where “everyone is empowered to reach their full potential”. Ericsson provides it staff, especially those in the early stages of their careers, with lots of training, mentorship and development opportunities. So, if you perform well and work hard, the sky is the limit.
Generalising about a business that operates in almost every country in the world and which employs 110,000 staff is difficult. But Ericsson likes to think of itself as a natural home for those with big ambitions. Like it says on the company website, “Here, you’ll find that people think big. They tackle the big questions that face technology and communication. They influence the big issues that face our societies and communities. And they have big ambitions, big dreams, big opportunities for advancement too.”
Ericsson is a world leader in the rapidly changing environment of communications technology – providing equipment, software and services to enable transformation through mobility.
Some 40 percent of global mobile traffic runs through networks we have supplied. More than 1 billion subscribers around the world rely every day on networks that we manage. With more than 37,000 granted patents, we have one of the industry’s strongest intellectual property rights portfolios.
At Ericsson, we strive to connect everyone, wherever they may be. Because by being connected, people can take part in the emerging global collaboration that is the Networked Society - a society in which every person and every industry is empowered to reach their full potential.
At Ericsson, we are committed to diversity and inclusion as we enable the Networked Society, where everything that benefits from a connection will have one. We realize the power of our people and recognize that diversity and inclusion makes us stronger.
Diversity has been high up on Ericsson’s agenda for many years and we believe diverse teams are the best teams. They are high-performing and innovative, with a variety of perspectives, experiences and reference, all of which helps make them the most creative.
Ericsson believes that achieving success in an increasingly multi-faceted, global and competitive market requires tapping into a broad talent pool in which diversity is a central component. We have made progress, but when it comes to diversity, we are not where we want to be. In order to help accelerate progress towards better gender balance, we have set a goal that by 2020 women will make up 30 percent of our employee population.
The Ericsson Graduate Program is a 12-18 month program.
The initial 3 weeks is an introduction to the business and key stakeholders. The Graduates will subsequently complete 2 rotations across the business, in various areas, suited to their ambitions and skillset, each lasting around 6 months.
The rotations undertaken during the program provide Graduates with the opportunity to diversify their skills, meet new people and utilise their knowledge across various areas of the organization.
From day one, Ericsson will partner with you to identify and develop your Edge.
You will work on challenging projects with some of Australia’s most prominent companies, under the guidance of an expert, and develop your career in the area you are most passionate about.
Our Graduates have the opportunity to work with any one of our world-class customers and on projects, including: Telstra 4G network implementation, National Broadband Network (NBN), Smart grid technology, Television, Media and Applications.
Leading Edge Technology
Opportunities
People
With world-class training and development through every step of your career, Ericsson’s Graduate Program provides on the job, project-based, online and classroom learning.
You’ll work alongside some of the brightest minds in our industry – with a supportive and collaborative environment that gives you the opportunity to ask anyone, anything, anywhere around the world.
Ericsson has a number of roles for talented graduates with strong academic capabilities in:
Partnered with your exceptional communication, people skills and leadership experience, your involvement in extra-curricular activities and a willingness to travel, will give you the Edge to be an Ericsson 2017 Graduate.
Opportunities in Melbourne or Sydney are available for Australian or New Zealand Citizens, or Permanent Residents, in your final year or recent graduates."
If you are applying and hold a 485 visa or bridging visa you must have your permanent residency by the time applications close.
Please also note that a student visa is not sufficient.
Applications for our annual graduate program open in March of each year. To keep up to date, regularly check our graduate careers page for further details
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