After being in the Ryman Graduate Programme for one year, Hamish Smith praises the rotational structure of the programme as it has allowed him to grow his skill set and make connections with team members from all over the company.
Having studied Product Design and Commerce at university, Hamish found Ryman’s diverse Graduate Programme appealing due to the varied opportunities available.
“For someone who isn't set on a clear career path yet and wants to give everything a go, it’s amazing,” Hamish said.
During the recruitment and induction process Hamish enjoyed participating in the team activities, especially taking on Adrenaline Forest and the escape rooms, as it allowed the graduates to build strong relationships with each other and other Rymanians.
“Ryman expressed that ‘Kindness is in our DNA’ throughout the interview process. It became obvious from day one that this really is the truth, everyone is just so lovely!”
Hamish started his journey in the Procurement team, working on systems improvements and looking after the Ryman Benefits programme.
He enjoyed this as; "everyone was so welcoming, and there was a positive feeling about the grad programme. Everyone knew about it, which was awesome”.
Hamish is now in his second rotation and is currently working as a Graduate Graphic Designer. In this role, he works on a variety of marketing collateral across different villages and platforms. In this position, there is a wide variety of creative projects across the company landscape which he works on, including village newsletters, staff magazines, and a multitude of events.
“Driving past the billboards, signs, and posters I have designed out in the wild is a cool buzz. Makes the work all that more worth it when you can see the outcome in the flesh!”
Hamish praised the programme's prioritisation of building a community with the graduates; “I enjoyed forming bonds with the other grads, with our weekly catchups where we find out what everyone else is up to in their rotations.
“You don't just take a dive into your own journey but learn about everyone else's along the way.”
With this support from other graduates, it has made the whole experience that much more rewarding. This support network also expands to other Rymanians; “our managers have had a real hands-off approach to let us discover problems and potential solutions ourselves.
“Which was very encouraging that there's so much trust in this programme and us as grads” he said.
Overall, the journey so far in the programme encouraged Hamish to have an open mind during his placements.
“You never know what skills you’re going to pick up along the way and the connections that you’re going to make within each rotation that could help you in the future,” he said.
As he continues his journey in the programme, he is looking forward to engaging with the additional leadership training available to help grow his skill set.
“There's also the opportunity to travel and work in Melbourne, which is an exciting prospect, as the team over there is growing very quickly and certainly making their mark on the industry,” he said.