NZAGE recently hosted a forum event featuring WSP, winner of the 2024 NZAGE Industry Award for Best Graduate Campaign.

The session provided a detailed look at the approach WSP took to attract graduate talent, covering campaign strategy, creative execution, and results. The presentation was led by Rox Tarboton from WSP’s Talent Team, alongside Fi Turvey, Senior Marketing Manager.

About WSP

WSP is a global professional services firm with more than 73,000 employees in 50 countries. In New Zealand, the business has a presence in 24 towns and cities, with around 2,000 staff working across sectors such as transport, water, buildings, environment, digital, energy and advisory.

The company has delivered infrastructure projects in Aotearoa for over 50 years and continues to focus on sustainable, future-focused outcomes.

Campaign Overview: “What if, with us, you can?”

WSP’s 2024 graduate recruitment campaign was based on the brand messaging “What if, with us, you can?” This theme was used consistently across all campaign materials to spark curiosity and help prospective graduates understand the kinds of opportunities available at WSP.

The campaign had three core objectives:

• Increase application numbers from the previous year
• Strengthen WSP’s position as a leading graduate employer
• Improve engagement with prospective candidates

Insights from the NZAGE 2023 graduate survey helped shape the campaign focus. Graduates highlighted three key factors when evaluating employers:

1. Development and training opportunities
2. Positive and inclusive workplace culture
3. Engaging, meaningful work

Creative and Campaign Channels

WSP developed a wide range of creative assets, featuring current and former graduates to provide a clear and authentic view of the graduate experience.

Key content included:

• A central landing page with programme details
• Interactive digital content using Maglr
• Seven videos covering topics such as “A Day in the Life,” application advice and graduate stories
• Downloadable resources with program information and study pathways
• New web pages addressing frequently asked questions and outlining the application process

Messaging was framed around future-focused questions such as:

• “What if you could shape the masterplans of tomorrow’s cities?”
• “What if you could build a greener future while growing your career?”

Distribution Strategy

The campaign prioritised a digital-first approach, reflecting student feedback and engagement trends from previous years.

Channels included:

• Paid content on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook
• On-campus activations with banners and posters
• Partnerships with universities to share campaign content through their own channels
• Optimisation of graduate web pages to showcase new content
• WSP also made use of an existing partnership with Locky Dock, incorporating out-of-home messaging that aligned with the campaign’s focus on sustainability. Locky Dock provides free bike parking and locking stations, many of which also include e-bike charging. These stations are located at key university campuses, which allowed WSP to align placements with their campus visits and reach students in relevant, high-traffic areas. This channel also resonated with students, who had previously indicated strong interest in sustainable transport options.
• WSP also introduced a sign-up option to notify candidates when the programme opened.

Results

The campaign delivered strong outcomes across all core metrics:

• 119% increase in applications compared to 2023
• 13.8% increase in average time on key web pages, reaching 2 minutes 46 seconds
• 89.49% engagement rate
• 57% reduction in cost per application, which dropped to $5.45

These results show that the campaign reached the right audience, captured their interest and encouraged meaningful action.

Why It Stood Out

WSP’s campaign was well-structured, based on relevant insights and clearly aligned with what graduates were looking for. The consistent messaging, focus on real stories and use of digital channels contributed to its effectiveness.

Thank you to the WSP team for sharing your approach and results with the NZAGE community, and congratulations on receiving the 2024 NZAGE Industry Award for Best Graduate Campaign.