Student Hub
Establish your OT Career with Confidence
OTA Student Hub
OTA's student hub is the place to connect with a network of OTs who can support you throughout your studies. Your OTA student membership will allow you to develop your professional skills, keep up to date with industry developments and find answers to common questions about working in OT.
OTA student membership is free, so join your professional association now.
Launch Your Career with OTA!
Join OTA as a New Graduate member today for early access to career-boosting resources – plus get extra months for free!
Student Career Webinar Resources
Webinar 1: Preparing for the job market
- Evaluating a potential workplace - log in (member only)
- Professional behaviour checklist - log in (member only)
- Benefits of Networking - log in (member only)
- Tips for writing a cover letter - log in (member only)
- Tips for writing a CV - log in (member only)
- Student Webinar Series Part 1: Video Recording. log in (member only)
- MediRecruit
To join as a student member (it's FREE!) to access the above and more, click here.
Webinar 2: Choosing the right workplace for you
In this webinar, we heard from 6 OTs as they shared their experiences, highlights and top tips when working in various areas of practice including mental health, disability, aged care, public health, occupational rehabilitation and working regional and remote.
Key take home messages from the webinar:
- Choose a practice area that you find interesting and enjoyable and suits your workstyle preferences and personality.
- Ask lots of questions about a potential workplace to find out if it is a good fit for you – be inquisitive!
- No matter the job you choose – it will have its ups and downs!
- OT provides diversity and opportunity – lots of different areas of practice, workplaces and employment options – be adventurous!
To access the recording of Webinar 2, please click here.
Note: You must be a member to access the recording, student membership is free, click here to register.
Webinar 3: Tips for Transitioning to Practice
In this webinar, early career OTs provided their insights and tops tips to support the transition into practice.
Evaluating the potential workplace, asking lots of questions, ensuring regular supervision, access to professional development and self-care were important themes shared during the discussion.
Let's start learning, click here.
It's free to be a student member, you get to view all three webinar recordings, to start click here.
some light reading - OTA Blog Articles
Embarking on your job search
Searching for your first job as an occupational therapist may see you filled with a mix of emotions: excited, daunted, overwhelmed, eager – the list goes on. Whatever emotions you’re feeling, it’s quite normal as you step into the world of OT.
New opportunities and new locations
At the start of 2022, Tess Donaghy-Adsett packed her bags and moved to Alice Springs for was meant to be a six-month contract. She enjoyed the experience so much she decided to stay.
Humans of OT
Humans of OT is series of profiles of OTA members. They've shared their stories with us on topics such as how their OT career started, what they've achieved, what is most important to them about being an OTA member and more.
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Documents & Publications
Occupational Therapy Journals
As part of your membership, you have full access to a collection of high quality Occupational Therapy Journals from all over the world.
Documents & Publications
Connections Magazine
Access your free digital edition of Connections magazine
Hear the stories of New Grad OTs
Andrea La Fontaine
Andrea is a new graduate occupational therapist who works in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Andrea works in two part time roles, both in a paediatric setting. Her primary role is working as the sole OT in a mainstream primary school where she runs individual and group sessions to assist students in fully participating in various aspects of school life. Her secondary role is working within a paediatric private practice where she assists individuals with their families through the NDIS scheme and other funding bodies.
Amy Elson
Amy Elson has been working as a rural generalist occupational therapist for three years, following her university studies. Amy embarked on work in a rural setting to explore all aspects of occupational therapy and discovered a love for the flexibility and creativity of working rurally.
Rebecca Rae-Hodgson
Rebecca Rae-Hodgson is a new graduate occupational therapist who graduated from a graduate masters program 3 months ago. She lives in inner Melbourne and is currently working as a sole trader disability support worker and will be commencing in a part time community occupational therapist role next year. Rebecca is pleased to have found an organisation who is open to being flexible around part time work needs due to her chronic illness.
Khazen Boukhazen
Khazen first became registered as an occupational therapist in 2018 and has worked with the adult and aged populations across the Northern, Western and Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. His rich background in neuroscience and enduring passion for research powerfully inform his ongoing service of individuals and families living with mental ill health, acquired brain injury, dementia and stroke. “My work is love made visible.”