Communication in Practice at ECU

Mentor it Forward®
2 days ago
4 min read

Laptops closed. Phones away.

A room full of students, suddenly with nothing to hide behind.

That was the starting point.

Inside the new CBD campus at Edith Cowan University (ECU), what began as a typical workshop quickly shifted into something more demanding. Participation was expected. Conversations were unavoidable.

Setting the Scene

ECU Students at School of Business and Law

The session, The Subtle Art of Communication, is part of Mentor it Forward®’s broader Employment Inclusivity Ecosystem, preparing students to engage in a professional environment with clarity, confidence, and intent.

From the opening moments, the message landed clearly.

Academic performance plays an important role in shaping opportunities. What follows depends heavily on how individuals present themselves, how they engage with others, and how effectively they communicate. With that in mind, the format of the session was set.

Students were asked to step forward into participation; to speak, to listen, and to respond to the people around them in real time.

The room moved quickly from hesitation to interaction.

The environment supported it. A modern, purpose-built campus designed for collaboration created the right conditions for this kind of interaction. Still, it was the willingness of students to step into discomfort that shaped the shift.

And once that shift happened, the session took on a different energy entirely.

What Happened in the Room

Over two hours, interaction never stopped.

Students moved through structured exercises designed to reflect everyday workplace situations, introducing themselves to someone new, responding without preparation, navigating instructions, and adjusting tone based on context. Small moments that together shape how communication plays out in real environments.

At first, responses were careful. Many relied on observation, speaking when prompted and listening more than contributing.

Then the rhythm changed. Listening became more active. Not waiting for a turn, but engaging with what was being said and responding with intent. That shift changed the quality of every exercise that followed.

Body language became more visible. Eye contact increased. Pauses started to carry meaning. Small adjustments in tone changed how messages landed.

What stood out was how quickly energy became shared. Once participation lifted in one part of the room, it spread through the rest. By the end of the session, the same group that began cautiously was operating differently. Not finished, not perfected, but more aware of how they were communicating and how they were being received.

Learning in Context

The session was led by two Mentor it Forward® mentors with direct industry experience.

Giselle and Haim brought real workplace situations into the room. Business meetings, team dynamics, and professional conversations were used to show how communication operates when outcomes matter.

That context shifted engagement.

Questions became sharper, responses were more considered, and conversations moved closer to scenarios students are likely to face beyond university.

Experience grounded the session and created a clear link between study and workplace expectation.

What This Enables

A single session does not define communication ability. It creates a reference point.

For many students, this is the first time communication becomes something observable. How messages land. How presence is interpreted. How interaction shapes outcomes.

That awareness starts to carry beyond the room.

Students begin to notice how they enter conversations, how they respond under pressure, and how small adjustments affect understanding. These changes show up in group work, presentations, and early professional interactions. What develops is attention.

For the university, this adds a practical layer alongside academic development, strengthening how students prepare for real-world environments.

The Mentor it Forward® workshop was highly engaging, with interactive and stand-up activities fostering strong student participation and moving beyond traditional theoretical delivery. It reinforced the critical importance of effective communication across diverse professional contexts, supporting our commitment to preparing industry-ready graduates.

- Dr. Ahdieh Sadat Khatavakhotan, Unit Coordinator and Lecturer, ECU School of Business and Law

Looking Ahead

Many of the students are still early in their studies.

As they move closer to graduation, expectations shift. Communication becomes part of everyday performance in fast-moving, professional environments.

This is where continued support matters.

Mentoring and structured guidance, delivered through the broader Mentor it Forward® ecosystem, build on this foundation and support students as they transition into the workforce.

The intention is continuity. Capability is introduced early and developed over time, not left until the point of graduation.

A Model in Practice

This workshop reflects a broader system delivered through the partnership between Mentor it Forward® and Edith Cowan University. A repeatable approach that embeds workplace-relevant capability into the student experience through direct participation.

Across sessions, the focus remains consistent. Communication, collaboration, problem solving, and professional presence are developed through experience.

For students, this creates exposure to situations that reflect real professional environments while still in a supported setting.

For institutions, it strengthens how employability is developed across cohorts by integrating capability into the learning journey.

That difference shows up in the students' readiness towards the beginning of their careers.

Acknowledgements

A sincere thank you to the ECU team for the collaboration and support in making this session possible, including Flavio Macau, and the academic team—Sasha Mutasa, Senali Madugoda Gunaratnege, and Ahdieh Sadat Khatavakhotan.

Appreciation to the Mentor it Forward® team, particularly Jyoti Kumari for supporting the facilitation on the day, and Justine Zanini for capturing the session through photography.

Special acknowledgement to Giselle Rowe and Haim Oz for their leadership in delivering the workshop and bringing their professional experience into the learning environment.