---
title: Building pipeline before they hit university, with Macquarie Group
description: No, you don’t need to create a new
---

[Industry Case Studies ](https://thecareersdepartment.com/employer-industry-case-studies)

# [Building pipeline before they hit university, with Macquarie Group](https://thecareersdepartment.com/employer-industry-case-studies/building-pipeline-before-they-hit-university-with-macquarie-group)

 Written by [The Careers Department](https://thecareersdepartment.com/employer-industry-case-studies/author/the-careers-department) | Apr 9, 2026 12:37:17 PM

##### OBJECTIVES

Macquarie Group partnered with The Careers Department to build their early talent pipeline by introducing high school students to careers in finance — at the exact moment career decisions are being made.

The goal: get Macquarie on students' radars before university, not during or after. A key priority was reaching young women, who remain underrepresented in finance, and shifting their perception of what a career in the industry could look like for them.

### PARTNERSHIP INCLUSIONS

The Careers Department built a gamified Virtual Work Experience module designed to test students' appetite for problem-solving and critical thinking; through a simulated, custom built trading platform.

Students were given a $50,000 virtual portfolio to manage across five industries, trading against real stock prices during live market conditions including the COVID-19 crisis and the interest rate surge. Every decision had consequences, and students received their trading results in real time.

Via completion, students could earn a co-branded Macquarie digital badge, shareable directly to LinkedIn and their ePortfolio as a verified credential of industry experience.

The module was supported by a video showing the Macquarie workplace, giving students a genuine feel for what it means to build a career there.

 

### RESULTS

The Careers Department aligned the module to the national curriculum and ran dedicated webinars with Economics teachers, showing them how to integrate it directly into classroom learning.

[01] 29% of students completing the module updated their Game Plan on the TCD platform post-completion to include finance-related courses and careers.

[02] Further, 3,871 Year 10 students reported reviewing their Year 11 and 12 subject selections as a direct result of their experience. One student, Jessica, explained, "I hadn't even considered studying Economics, or going into business or finance as a career, I thought it [the finance industry] was just accounting. I loved this module and didn't realise jobs like this even existed."

 

## LEARNING

When students encounter a brand through real, relevant experience; not advertising, it changes how they think about their future.

The right content, delivered at the right moment in a student's decision-making journey, builds brand affinity that lasts well beyond the classroom.

[View full post](https://thecareersdepartment.com/employer-industry-case-studies/building-pipeline-before-they-hit-university-with-macquarie-group)

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