Meet AUT’s Employability and Careers team
Our great team of employability and career specialists has a wide range of experience and skills in career counselling, recruitment and industry, along with a genuine interest in supporting AUT students in developing strong employability skills and thoughtful career decision making.
As an AUT student you can visit us at our home base on the AUT City Campus; the Employability Lab (WA202) where we offer workshops and one-to-one career appointments. You can also access our services at the Student Hubs at the North Campus and South Campus, and all our services are also offered online.
Driving the leadership and strategic direction of the student experience for employability, sports development and recreation programmes university wide is a major part of Anna’s role. Anna, who has been employed at AUT for over 10 years, has extensive experience in recruitment, leadership and project management in New Zealand. She is passionate about continuous improvement, talent management and providing superb customer service and excellence in delivery.
Email: anna.williams@aut.ac.nz
Employability Manager
Ruth brings a wealth of experience in leadership, relationship management, secondary education, careers, recruitment, guidance and advocacy to the Employability team. She is committed to empowering our specialists to deliver exceptional services by supporting students to grow employability skills, career confidence and work-readiness. Ruth holds a postgraduate diploma in education, a graduate certificate in career development, and a BA in educational psychology and English. She is passionate about inclusive education, championing diverse expressions of success.
Email: ruth.church@aut.ac.nz
Naufa is passionate about the AUT student and graduate journey, and about helping students realise their potential and achieve their career goals. An AUT international alumna, originally from the Maldives, Naufa worked in healthcare recruitment for six years before returning to AUT to join the AUT Employability and Careers team. She is a psychology graduate with a Graduate Certificate in Career Development and is an associate member of the Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ).
Email: employability@aut.ac.nz
Diana came to AUT from a commercial recruitment management background in one of New Zealand's largest global companies. She enjoys using her 20 plus years’ experience in recruitment, training, HR and coaching to help students prepare for the current job market. Her university aged children help her understand the complexities of studying and working, as well as making career and employability decisions. Diana’s qualifications include a Graduate Certificate in Career Development and many professional development courses.
Email: diana.bilbrough@aut.ac.nz
Uncovering an individual’s potential, then helping them to inspire others, is a huge motivator for Dianna.
A career in advertising, and running workshops, highlighted her passion for finding out what makes people tick. This led to running the YWCA mentoring programme for young women that encouraged them to believe in themselves. She then moved into career counselling with tertiary students and completed the Graduate Certificate in Career Development.
Dianna is a member of the Careers Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ).
Email: dianna.bluck@aut.ac.nz
Sanesh believes career journeys are rarely linear and effective decisions come from understanding strengths and exploring possibilities. His approach is grounded in manaakitanga, in recognising students’ unique journeys. He enjoys helping students turn their interests and aspirations into practical steps, building skills, confidence and connections to navigate today’s workforce. Sanesh has worked in careers development, industry engagement and student support at Whitecliffe and University of Auckland. He holds bachelor’s degrees in commerce and arts, and a Master of Arts in Sociology.
Email: sanesh.francis@aut.ac.nz
Helping students along their career journey is a privilege for Angela, who has spent many years at AUT supporting students in various roles, from creating career resources to career counselling. In her role Angela draws on her experiences in career counselling, freelance writing and running small businesses. Her qualifications include AUT’s Graduate Certificate in Career Development and Graduate Diploma in Journalism. She is a professional member of the Career Development Association of NZ (CDANZ).
Email: angela.mccarthy@aut.ac.nz
As someone who likes making a difference for people, Horowai finds it very satisfying helping students develop interpersonal and leadership skills through undertaking the AUT Edge Award or Beyond AUT Award. An AUT HR and International business graduate, Horowai has experience in frontline community work, helping with financial assistance, upskilling and employment. She is loving her job’s focus on tertiary students’ practical skills and career development.
Email: AUT Edge Award: autedge@aut.ac.nz and Beyond AUT Award: beyondaut@aut.ac.nz
Munaal is committed to empowering students to uncover their potential and navigate the ever-evolving job market. An AUT international alumna with a master’s degree in human resources and employment relations, Munaal has seven years recruitment experience in New Zealand, the Middle East, and Pakistan, helping NZ graduate employers with internship recruitment processes. Munaal was initially employed as an employability and careers specialist before working on secondment for a year as an employability relationship manager. She now works across both student employability and industry engagement.
Email: autemployability@aut.ac.nz
Shu is deeply committed to bridging the gap between students and industry. With a background that spans professional services, the public sector, and international development, she brings a wealth of experience to her role as an industry relationship manager.
Shu, who came to Aotearoa as an international student from China, relates strongly to international students’ experiences, and enjoys facilitating connections and partnerships to help empower the next generation of graduate professionals.
Email: shu.wang@aut.ac.nz
Anna is motivated by a passion for connecting people in the tertiary space and creating opportunities for students to engage with industry. Originally from the UK, Anna brings a wealth of experience in business development and recruitment across multiple sectors, enabling her to support students exploring the world of employment and making the first exciting step in their career. She is a member of the New Zealand Association of Graduate Employers (NZAGE).
Email: anna.c.matich@aut.ac.nz OR autemployability@aut.ac.nz
Contact us
Drop into the Employability Lab or email us:
employability@aut.ac.nz
Locations on campus
Visit the Employability Lab at the City Campus in WA202.
Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm & Thursday, 10am–5pm
North Campus – AF Building by café
Monday to Thursday, 9am–4pm
South Campus – MB Reception
Monday to Thursday, 9am–4pm