IEAA INTERNATIONAL
EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM
Outcomes Report 2015
Dr Cate Gribble
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
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IEAA would like to acknowledge the hard work and
dedication of the following individuals on the Project
Planning Committee:
■■ Chris Ziguras (Chair)
Vice President, IEAA; Deputy Dean
(International), School of Global, Urban
and Social Studies, RMIT
■■ Melissa Banks
Director, Swinburne International
Swinburne University of Technology
■■ Mary Clarke
Head, Education Policy
CPA Australia
■■ Helen Cook
Associate Director (Client Relations) Australasia
ETS Global
■■ Rebecca Hall
Director, International Education
Victorian Government Department
of Economic Development
■■ Rob Lawrence
Principal
Prospect Research and Marketing
■■ Danny Ong
Multicultural Employment Consultant
Monash University
Sponsored by ETS TOEFL and the Victorian Government Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport
and Resources. Also supported by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training.
CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY5
INTRODUCTION7
The high value of work experience
Communication and collaboration
Employment, employability and portability
Convincing employers of the benefits of hiring international students
What can institutions do?
THE GUIDES11
International students
Education providers
Employers
SYMPOSIUM FEEDBACK14
International student expectations surrounding employment
Support to ‘embed’ employability
Convincing senior leaders and promoting collaboration across institutions
Institutions as intermediaries
Format and dissemination
Twitter reach and engagement
REFERENCES17
APPENDIX 1: SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM18
APPENDIX 2: DELEGATE LIST20
APPENDIX 3: TWITTER REACH AND ENGAGEMENT
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4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The employability of international students has emerged as a key issue for the international
education sector. Competition for graduate jobs is intense and, for international graduates
planning to return home, overseas work experience has never been more important. This situation
raises some serious questions for the Australian tertiary education sector, which is now expected
to develop the employability skills of international as well as domestic students.
How can Australian universities ensure international students graduate with skills they need to
compete in Australian, home country and global labour markets? What role should employers,
government and students each play in improving graduate employment outcomes? These are
urgent questions for the Australian higher education sector in the context of an increasingly
competitive global environment. The UK, Europe and North America are well aware of the
importance of improving employment outcomes for international graduates and are making
significant progress in this space (AUIDF, 2013; Ortiz & Choudaha, 2013).
Despite placing importance on acquiring work experience in their areas of qualification, international
students face a number of barriers when seeking employment in Australia. These include:
■■ overcoming a lack of workplace skills and experience
■■ a critical shortage of internships and work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities
■■ industry and corporate reluctance to employ international graduates.
There is strong evidence to suggest that
the Australian government, peak bodies
“There is an urgent need
and institutions are aware of the critical
to convince employers of
importance of improving the employability
and employment outcomes of international
the broad benefits of hiring
students and are responding accordingly.
international students and
The launch of the National Strategy on Work
Integrated Learning and the creation of
to expand opportunities for
senior management positions in universities
industry engagement.”
focussed on graduate employability are
evidence of the growing importance now
being placed on the issue (Universities
Australia, 2015). The Government’s Draft National Strategy for International Education noted
that “Australia’s reputation for providing high-quality, world-class education rests on the quality
and employability of our graduates” and that “work-integrated learning is an integral part of
producing work-ready graduates” (Australian Government, 2015a). However, more work needs
to be done both at the institutional level, with employers and with international students.
IEAA’s International Employability Symposium was held at the Investment Centre Victoria on
Friday May 15 2015 and brought together more than 120 key stakeholders for high-level discussion
around employability and international students (see Appendix 2: Delegate list). The aim was
to generate practical policies and solutions across institutions, government and industry to help
enhance the employability of international graduates.
The challenge facing the sector is how to influence those with the capacity to bring about
change. Senior leaders in Australian education institutions must be informed of the critical need
to enhance international student employability and be provided with policy solutions and
practical approaches. From the commencement of their student journey, international students
must be educated about their role in improving their employability and provided with guidance
and practical tips. Importantly, there is an urgent need to convince employers of the broad
benefits of hiring international students and to expand opportunities for industry engagement.
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KEY THEMES
The symposium drew on existing research and engaged with experts in the field to examine a
range of issues, including:
How can we provide genuine WIL, meaningful internships and course-related job openings?
Intensifying global competition has resulted in widespread recognition among employers, both
in multinational and medium-sized local businesses, of key attributes considered essential in the
workplace, including work experience of some form. Many international students consider the
combination of an overseas qualification and such global attributes as critical to their success in
the competitive graduate labour market, either at home or internationally.
While it has long been a key element of many tertiary programs, there is a growing interest in
WIL which is seen by institutions as a valid pedagogy, and as a means to respond to demands
by employers for work-ready graduates. Seeking a return on investment, international students
consider work experience as providing critical employable knowledge and skills. However, many
students struggle to find placements and institutions are grappling with how to meet growing
demand for WIL (AUIDF, 2013; Gribble, 2014).
How do we manage student expectations of post-study work arrangements against the reality of
the employment market?
Many international students take an investment approach to studying abroad. Participation in
work experience or graduate employment is how they will evaluate their international education
experience. However, difficulties associated with acquiring discipline-related work experience
can lead to dissatisfaction, poor retention, and potential financial and reputational losses
for institutions. In order to minimise the mismatch in expectations and experiences, clear and
accurate pre-entry information is critical.
Institutions should provide accurate information on the Australian labour market so that
international students develop a realistic understanding of post study employment in their field.
Institutions must be careful not to over-promise work opportunities available either while studying
or after graduation. They should emphasise the importance of students taking a proactive
stance, seeking and following through on advice provided by Careers and Employment staff,
and taking advantage of opportunities offered by their institutions.
How can we ensure industry and the corporate sector is more engaged and better educated
about the benefits of employing international students?
Australian employers need a diverse and sustainable talent pool to fuel innovation and growth, and
remain competitive in an increasingly globalised and liberalised global economy (KPMG, 2012; Kell,
2014). Engaging with international students and graduates can help Australian businesses enhance their
understanding of the business and social etiquette, cultural nuances, language and communication
styles of the regions these students come from, in addition to building a network of relationships.
International students represent a valuable resource for Australian organisations, yet many
employers are reluctant to provide international students with work placements or graduate
employment. Misconceptions around the skills and attributes international students can bring to
an organisation, along with a lack of awareness of post study work visas represent key barriers.
Importantly, institutions can play a critical role in establishing and fostering relationships with industry
that will promote opportunities for WIL and graduate employment.
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDES
A key focus of the symposium were three good practice guides for students, education providers
and employers. The guides were distributed prior to the symposium. Participants were encouraged
to review the guides and contribute to their development. The final guides review current policies,
highlight good practice and offer practical suggestions to enhance employability.
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INTRODUCTION
Australia is globally at the forefront of innovative
education and training, but how do we
provide greater access to employment for
international students? The aim of the International
Employability Symposium was to find solutions
to this significant challenge facing Australia’s
international education sector. International
education is Australia’s fourth largest export
industry and the largest services industry export. It is
central to Australia’s economic future, contributing
over $16 billion per annum to the Australian
economy and supporting more than 130,000 jobs
nationally (Australian Government, 2015a).
“Work experience
opportunities, courses
that enhance
employability and poststudy work opportunities
are critical to Australia’s
ability to continue to
attract international
students to Australia.”
Australia’s future prosperity is tied to that of its
global neighbours and with the right settings, skills,
infrastructure and incentives in place, Australia will
be in a strong position to capitalise on future global
economic growth. Importantly, the benefits of a robust international education sector extend
beyond the immediate economic. International students contribute to a vibrant and culturally
diverse Australia, foster intercultural understanding in Australia and create the people-to-people
links that underpin research, trade, investment and social engagement with the world (Australian
Government, 2015a).
For the Australian international education sector, the rapidly changing global higher education
environment signifies heightened competition and an increasingly discerning international
student population. The fast pace of change associated with globalisation has serious
ramifications for Australia’s international education sector. Australia has long been a pioneer in
international education, however, this leading position is far from guaranteed. Australia faces
increased competition from traditional English speaking destinations such as the USA and the
UK, as well as from other European countries, and emerging regional hubs in Asia, the Middle
East and North Africa (MENA) and Latin America, with ambitious growth targets and significant
government and private sector investment (Becker & Kolster, 2012; OECD, 2014).
Opportunities to acquire experience in the host country labour market are now a key driver of
student choice; understanding the issues surrounding international students and employment is
closely linked to Australia’s continued success in the international education sector. In order to
continue to attract international students, Australia must provide students with an educational
experience that enhances their career prospects. Work experience opportunities, courses that
enhance employability and post-study work opportunities are critical to Australia’s ability to
continue to attract international students to Australia.
The high value of work experience
Workplace experiences are now considered an integral part of a high quality education that
will give students the on-the-ground experience they need to become job-ready graduates.
International students value work experience. In 2014, 87 per cent of VET students and 76 per
cent of higher education students regarded being able to work while studying as an important
factor when deciding where to study. 83 per cent of VET students and 78 per cent of international
higher education students think being able to work in Australia after graduation is also important
(Australian Government, 2015b). This data indicates that the sustainable growth of the sector
depends on education and industry working together to offer work experiences to international
students so they are job-ready when they graduate.
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The single most important return on investment for international students is employment. In order
to secure employment, international students seek every opportunity to engage with industry,
but many struggle. While Australia has improved overall on the International Student Barometer,
there is scope for improvement around employability (Australian Government, 2015b). Work
opportunities need to form part of the value package that Australia offers international students.
While Australia has a strong platform to build on, ambitious, innovative approaches to creating
work opportunities are required to continue to produce quality, employable graduates.
Communication and collaboration
Improved communication and collaboration both within and among institutions, between
employers and institutions, as well as across government departments was a key message of
the symposium. A major obstacle to developing employability among international students is
attributed to the ‘silo effect’ prevalent in many Australian institutions. In order to tackle the issue
of international student employability there must be greater dialogue between various sectors
of the institution: careers and employment, faculties, international office, alumni engagement
and student support. There are many excellent initiatives taking place across institutions,
however, often staff in one area are unaware of projects or schemes happening elsewhere
in the institution. Poor communication represents a missed opportunity for sharing ideas and
collaborative work that will lead to enhanced international student employability.
Institutions should also work together to share knowledge, resources and strategies to harness
the potential of business and industry around areas such as WIL. As noted by Jenny Lambert,
Director of Employment Education and Training at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (ACCI), “Competition is great but collaboration is better”. According to Lambert, scaling
up WIL stands to benefit all concerned. The greater number of institutions participating in WIL the
better, as it will therefore be seen as the norm by industry. At the government level, improved
communication between government departments such as Department of Education and
Training, Employment and Workplace Relations and the Department of Immigration and Border
Protection will ensure the interests of international students are not overlooked.
Employment, employability and portability
“Employability is on everybody’s lips” and the language is shifting from a focus on employment
to employability. Rob Lawrence’s paper ‘Providing the Mix to Secure the Match’ highlighted
the importance of distinguishing between ‘employment’ and ‘employability’ to avoid promising
international students something that cannot be delivered (Lawrence, 2015). The expectations of
current and future international students must be carefully managed. Although institutions cannot
guarantee every student will be able to obtain full-time work in their area of qualification upon
graduation, they can provide students with the opportunity to develop key employability skills
during their time in Australia.
For the current generation of students, the other key word is ‘portability’. International
students require a ‘kit bag of skills’ that will enable them to succeed in a borderless world.
The emphasis must be on developing globally transferable employability skills rather than
promising international students jobs. The challenge for institutions is to embed employability
skills throughout the student journey so that students graduate with the requisite skills to enter the
global labour market.
Convincing employers of the benefits of hiring international students
For employers, there are multiple benefits associated with engaging an international student
or graduate. International students have the potential to build cultural diversity in Australian
workplaces and communities. Businesses that are culturally diverse are more innovative, have
more engaged and satisfied employees, and better understand the needs of their customers,
especially in export markets. The recently signed free trade agreements (FTA) with China, Japan
and Korea provide Australian businesses with unprecedented access to these key markets (DFAT,
2014). However, many employers remain reluctant to take on international students.
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Australian employers know very little about international students (Lawrence, 2015). Instead
of seeing potential, many employers see issues or problems and a major challenge for the
international education sector will be changing the employer mindset. From the employer’s
perspective, international students often have poor communication skills (both written and oral),
lack creativity and are inexperienced in working collaboratively. Employers are also of the view
that international students are likely to return home, making them reluctant to invest in training
someone who may not stay long term. Some employers also harbour concerns that international
students will take the company’s intellectual property with them when they leave.
Interviews with employers revealed that the market dynamics are shifting dramatically and the
next generation of graduates need to be both mobile and flexible in their working conditions.
There is also a shift towards short-term projects and while this raises concerns around job security,
project work can provide international students with useful work experience and build resilience.
GradAustralia noted that while there is high demand from international employers to repatriate
international graduates, many international students remain focussed on staying in Australia.
This reluctance to be mobile and open to working in a range of destinations represents a missed
opportunity for international graduates to gain valuable work experience in their field.
The business case for engaging with international students needs to be actively promoted.
Without strong and convincing arguments regarding the benefits to their organisation, the
attitudes and actions of employers are unlikely to shift. Industry representatives noted that when
making the case for the corporate sector to engage with international students, there is a critical
need to clearly articulate what benefits this will bring or the “what’s in it for me?”. For example,
the opportunity for an employer to ‘dip their toe in the water’ and ‘try before you buy’ can be
a selling point for WIL. Providing employers with examples of business that have benefitted from
hiring an international graduate or being involved in WIL, such as Western Digital (see case study,
p.10) are likely to have maximum impact. Finally, industry representatives also recommended
government provide incentives for employers to take on international students and to lead by
example, engaging international students on work experience and hiring international graduates.
What can institutions do?
Career education underpins the development of student employability and developing selfawareness among students is critical for students to build a professional identity. Career services
in many institutions are struggling to deliver the range of programs and services required if
students are to graduate with the necessary employability attributes. Resourcing of careers and
employment services emerged as a major concern among participants and a key barrier to the
development of international students’ employability. Julie Howell, President of NAGCAS, raised
the question of how best to deliver career advice and develop employability skills to the current
generation of students? Howell urged institutions to consider digital delivery and gamification
alternative options to engage students.
A number of presenters at the symposium made reference to the work being done in the UK
around graduate employability. Many UK institutions have successfully embedded employability
attributes into the curriculum and there is greater collaboration between key areas of the
institution such as careers, marketing, alumni and the international office. Entrepreneurship has
also become a key focus for many institutions, including at top universities such as Oxford where
there is a recognition that graduates can no longer rely on prestige and status of their degree
from highly ranked institutions. Oxford University has developed a range of programs to boost
the employability of graduates such as ‘The Shed’ which offers innovation workshops, enterprise
support services and a networking scheme (AUIDF, 2013).
International students align employability with employment, however, there is a need emphasise
the importance of developing a portfolio of skills that will boost students chances of success in
the labour market. University Awards, a key feature of the UK landscape, provide an excellent
opportunity for students to develop key employability skills that are both recognised and valued
by employers. International students often lack awareness of developing these skills compared
to their local counterparts and there is a critical need to convince academics of the importance
of developing students’ skills in this area and supporting them to teach employability skills to
students in the context of their discipline.
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CASE STUDY: WESTERN DIGITAL
Western Digital provides an excellent example of the potential benefits stemming from a solid
industry-education sector partnership. Western Digital is the largest employer in Thailand with
over 60,000 employees and is a Fortune 500 company. Vice President Dr Sampan Sillanpaa is a
passionate advocate for work integrated learning (WIL) and has actively led Western Digital’s
involvement. He is a strong and vocal advocate for employing students with an international
education.
Since 2008, Western Digital has recruited around 600 Thai and international students for its fourmonth internship program. Students cover the cost of their flights, local universities provide
accommodation and mentoring, and Western Digital provides a paid, international work
experience opportunity.
According to Dr Silapanad the program is a win-win for all involved. The institutions provide their
students with a real world work experience and ensure their curricula is relevant to workplace
needs. The company benefits from the extra staff, the new ideas and perspectives students
contribute, as well as an opportunity to recruit talent. Western Digital believe the benefits to the
company at about five times the return on investment.
Equally, the benefits for the students are immense. Students return to the classroom with hands-on
experience, putting them in a strong position to compete for global jobs.
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THE GUIDES
A key focus of the International Employability Symposium was the launch of three good practice
guides. In recognition of the extensive literature on graduate employability, the three practical
guides for students, education providers and employers aim to encourage real action on the
issue of international student employability. While it is clear that many international students
struggle to find employment in their area of qualification both in Australia and overseas, there is
an urgent need to develop clear strategies, highlight best practice in Australia and overseas, and
convert good intentions into real outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE
Author: Jo Doyle, Trinity College, The University of Melbourne
The purpose of the student guide was to provide international students with practical, accessible
information on how to enhance their employability and improve their post-study employment
opportunities in either Australia, their home country, or elsewhere.
Research indicates that many international students leave preparation for employment until it is too
late. The guide is designed to encourage students to take a proactive stance from commencement.
The author drew on her UK experience as a visiting fellow at the University of Exeter and has
combined best practice career development materials from Australia and the UK.
The guide is modelled on the University of Exeter where students are targeted at the beginning
of the student lifecycle and career development is embedded into the curriculum throughout.
The Exeter model focuses on developing intercultural understanding and communication skills
through wide participation and encourages and rewards commercial awareness, initiative
and independence. The Exeter model is based on a support, model and mentor approach to
developing employability in all students.
The guide is written with the student in mind and is aimed at first year students at the beginning of
their time in Australia. The focus is on encouraging students to develop soft skills and commercial
awareness and draws on best practice career development materials in Australia and the UK.
Key points
Focus: wide, active participation at university to ensure the development of essential soft skills
required by employers.
The importance of being actively involved in one’s own career development through:
■■ Participating in a wide range of extra curricula activities at university and in the local community
■■ Attending career development, industry information sessions and networking events
■■ Gaining experience via internships, WIL, part-time work, volunteering or through mentoring
■■ Developing commercial awareness and company profiling, as well as research skills to target
and tailor job applications.
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EDUCATION PROVIDER GUIDE
Author: Dr Cate Gribble, Deakin University
Recent research into the employment outcomes of international graduates has highlighted the
challenges international students face when transitioning into the Australian labour market.
The good practice guide for education providers is designed to show how Australian institutions
can improve the employability of international students and provides case studies of good
practice in Australia and overseas. The guide highlights the importance of institutions adopting
international student employability as a strategic priority and strong leadership or a ‘champion’ in
order to convert good intentions into real outcomes for students.
The role of careers and employment is a key focus of the guide. International career advisers
were widely consulted for the guide because of their depth of knowledge of the challenges
international students face when seeking post study employment. While their work is often
innovative and driven by a passion and commitment to improving the employability of
international students, institutions often undervalue their careers and employment services. Many
spoke of staff cut backs, funding cuts, restructuring and low morale.
The guide strongly advocates for employment services to be bought in from the margins and
properly resourced. Funding is a key concern that careers and employment services face, as well
as growing demands for their expertise from an increasingly diverse student population. Careers
and employment staff have an expanding portfolio of responsibilities, ranging from managing
internship programs (local and overseas), industry engagement (local and overseas), job fairs,
entrepreneurship initiatives and job skills workshops.
The UK provides an interesting comparison. In recent years the UK has invested significantly in
careers services. Hit hard by the Global Financial Crisis and faced with high unemployment rates
among tertiary graduates, many UK universities have expanded and strengthened their careers
services in an attempt to improve graduate employment outcomes. While Australian institutions
can learn a lot from the UK, differences in funding levels need to be taken into consideration.
Key points
■■ International graduate employability must be core business for all Australian institutions
■■ International students must be provided with a range opportunities to develop their
employability throughout the student lifecycle
■■ Growing demand for WIL will require a commitment from senior leadership, stronger relations
with industry and creative solutions
■■ Strong industry-institution relationships are critical to improve employment outcomes of
international students
■■ Institutions should aim to foster strong and enduring relationships with alumni who can provide
valuable internship opportunities, mentorship and graduate employment to international
students
■■ The pre-entry and post-arrival expectations of international students need to be carefully
managed to avoid dissatisfaction, poor retention, and potential financial and reputational
losses for institutions.
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EMPLOYER GUIDE
Author: Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI);
Racquel Shroff
A cross section of employers – multinational corporations (MNC), small-to-medium enterprises
(SME), not-for-profits (NFP), entrepreneurs, regional employers – were consulted for the employer
guide. This provided a greater understanding of current policies and recruitment practices
and identified barriers, both perceived and real. The overall aim was to influence change by
promoting the broad benefits of recruiting an international graduate, showcasing good practice,
and dispelling myths surrounding international graduates and post study employment.
Interviews were conducted with senior management in order to capture their view of the supply
and demand of skilled professionals in relation to productivity, growth and competitiveness. Human
resources practitioners and graduate recruiters were also consulted in order to further understand
issues surrounding policy and recruitment practices. A key finding was the lack of awareness of post
study work rights across the range of employers. In addition, many employers were setting minimum
English language proficiency requirements for recruitment purposes without a real understanding of
English language tests and in many instances their expectations were unrealistic.
Research carried out for the employer guide also noted that there were significant work
opportunities in the Asia-Pacific regions for students both while studying and after graduation. The
growth in Asian economies, the increase in the number of free trade agreements with Australia,
emerging outsourcing, offshoring and shared service models is behind this trend. Importantly,
many of these countries are also key source countries for international students. Employers in the
Asia-Pacific, especially Singapore and Malaysia, actively attract international graduates back
to their country of citizenship through talent sourcing initiatives. Notably, few MNCs have lateral
recruitment practices or international job opportunities for globally mobile candidates.
Employers in regional Victoria who are experiencing ongoing skills shortages, and SMEs in
engineering, technology and health care sectors who are unable to find domestic workers,
seem to have more inclusive recruitment policies to fill their burgeoning skills needs. While
there was an overall reluctance to sponsor international students – due to cost, administration,
compliance and training requirements – graduates with niche skills and prior work experience
have a competitive advantage and are more successful in securing employer sponsorship. Many
state governments have policies to attract and retain international graduates offering state
sponsorship to fill local skills needs.
Key points
■■ Challenge the mindset of Australian employers via a cohesive nationwide advocacy /
promotion campaign and communication strategy involving all key stakeholders
■■ Eliminate unlawful practices and unconscious biases towards international students, graduates
in Australia – by enforcing existing laws and providing incentives for good practice through
recognition and rewards
■■ Support SMEs and regional employers to access talent pool onshore and facilitate recruitment
and placement during and after study. The requirements are sector specific as well.
■■ Support international students who are young entrepreneurs, innovators and have the
potential to create jobs
■■ Manage international students’ expectations prior to enrolment. Promote mapping course
selection to aptitude, passion, labour market and other factors. This must be part of SVP and
agent management under ESOS Act.
■■ Provide relevant part time work opportunities for students on campus (similar to the US) and
balance diversity and growth.
■■ Ensure all students (including international) have sufficient work exposure during their study and
are better prepared for the transition to the work force.
■■ Ensure the relevance and portability of qualifications in a broader global context as more
graduates return to their home country or a third country post study.
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SYMPOSIUM FEEDBACK
The breakout sessions provided participants with an opportunity to contribute to the three
good practice guides commissioned especially for this symposium. Participants reflected on the
content of the guides and how to maximise their use to enhance the employment outcomes
of international students in Australia. The break out groups generated a great deal of discussion
and resulted in a number suggestions for how the guides could be further improved. Ideas for
dissemination were also workshopped. The following represents the key themes emerging from
the break out group discussions.
International student expectations surrounding employment
Many participants were of the view that the
expectations of international students acted as
a major barrier to both developing employability
and graduate employment. International students
often arrive in Australia with unrealistic expectations
of both work experience opportunities and
graduate unemployment. This is a major concern
for institutions and unrealistic expectations can
result in dissatisfaction, poor retention, and potential
financial and reputational losses for institutions.
“International students
often arrive in Australia with
unrealistic expectations
of both work experience
opportunities and graduate
unemployment.”
Often international students commence their
studies with ill-defined career goals. Some may
even lack a purpose or passion for their field of study having chosen to study a particular
discipline due to family expectations rather than personal interest. Others may have a very linear
understanding of the relationship between education and work which does not reflect the reality of
today’s graduate labour market. Reference was made to the ‘Chaos Theory of Career Development’
which argues that careers are often non-linear and impacted by unpredictable factors (Pryor & Bright,
2004). International students should be reminded that their career trajectory may not unfold as they
hope or expect. International students need to be encouraged to be open to exploring different paths
and ‘stepping stones’ towards achieving their career goal.
Support to ‘embed’ employability
While participants agreed that employability needs to be embedded throughout the
curriculum, institutions must provide the necessary pedagogical support. Participants spoke
of different levels of ‘embedding’, ranging from advising individual academics on how to
embed employability in their teaching and learning plans, to adopting a strategic approach
on embedding employability at a school, faculty and institutional level. Strong leadership is
required if employability skills are to be embedded across schools and faculties. Encouraging
collaboration between careers and employment, industry and academic staff to inform
curriculum development will ensure relevancy of the curriculum and provide opportunities
to embed employability. There was also a suggestion that an additional academic guide
providing pedagogical advice to academics on how to implement recommendations relating to
embedding employability would be of value.
Convincing senior leaders and promoting collaboration across institutions
In order to achieve change at the institutional level, the education provider guide needs to be
strongly targeted at institutional leadership and academic middle managers. While participants
strongly endorsed the principles in the guide, they stressed that staff in careers and employment
were already aware of the issues. Rather than preach to the converted, the guide needs to be
aimed at the top if real change is to be achieved. Some participants felt that in order to focus
attention on the topic and get institutional buy-in, employability indicators need to be included in
the KPIs of senior staff.
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Developing the employability of international students must be a collaborative effort and
cannot be left to careers and employment staff to tackle alone. This will require overcoming
the silo effect prevalent in many institutions where university leaders, academic teams and
careers staff rarely interact. Academic staff need to be educated about employment
practices and trends in their fields and trained in how best to embed employability into their
discipline areas. One suggestion was for careers and employment staff to nurture ‘employability
champions’ in each academic discipline. There is also scope from disciplines to learn from
each other. For example, the professional disciplines are often more advanced in this area,
due to a long history of engaging established practitioners to provide input into the curriculum
design. These disciplines can provide mentorship and advise other discipline areas who may be
new to introducing WIL programs for the first time.
Institutions as intermediaries
Reference was also made to the critical role of universities as the intermediary. By developing
strong, productive relationships with employers, universities pave the way for work experience
and graduate employment opportunities for international students. The importance of institutions
engaging employers and encouraging their contribution in the form of guest lectures, providing
input in the curriculum design and development and sitting on advisory boards. Alumni offer
significant untapped potential and institutions need invest more into creating strong and lasting
connections with alumni. Alumni can mentor students, attend networking events, deliver guest
lectures and offer WIL placements and graduate employment.
Format and dissemination
Promoting the business case to employers
One of the major challenges facing the international education sector is how to convince
employers of the benefits associated with engaging an international students. A clear message
from the feedback sessions was that the employer guide must present a clear business case for
hiring international students (i.e. an emphasis on ‘What’s in it for me?). Employers are unlikely to
consider an international student for work placements or graduate employment unless they can
see a clear benefit for their organisation. Therefore, the business case for hosting an international
student or hiring an international graduate needs to be at the beginning of the guide, or as one
participant said ‘Up the front in flashing lights!’.
The business case needs to be heavily promoted so that employers realise they might be missing
out on the contribution international students can make to an organisation. The message needs
to be that the presence of high skilled international students in Australia is an opportunity not
to be missed and offers employers a range of benefits such as cultural insights, global networks
and access to an extensive talent pool. The emphasis should be on the specific outcomes for
employers such as workforce diversity, links to global markets and opportunities to leverage
international students’ cultural knowledge and networks. The loyalty of international students as
well as their innovative approaches should also be underscored.
There was a strong feeling that case studies (including in video format) of employers in a range
of sectors speaking about they had benefited from having an international student in the
workplace would be an excellent way to sell the message. The guides need to contain examples
from different types of businesses (SMEs, MNC, NFP), from a range of sectors (business, health, IT,
engineering etc.) who have benefitted from recruiting international students.
It was recommended that the ‘myth busting’ section should be located towards the end of the
guide. Some employers may not be aware of the myths and it would be counterproductive
to draw attention to potential issues at the beginning of the guide. A list of resources or links
to relevant websites or reports (e.g. Fair Work Ombudsman, Department of Immigration etc.)
should also be provided at the end of the guide. Some participants felt that the issues could
broken down by sector (health, business, IT, etc) to further highlight some of the advantages of
employing an international student. Guidance of where employers can go for further information
should also be provided.
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
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Online, dynamic and engaging
The guides need to be presented in an accessible and engaging manner if they are to capture
the attention of the target audience. To ensure maximum reach, the format needs to be clear,
dynamic and engaging. For the student guide, short videos featuring international graduates
speaking about their experience or employers providing succinct advice were recommended.
Similarly, the employer guide should include videos of employers outlining how hiring an
international student had benefitted their organisation. There was the view that the guides
needed to be online and ‘alive’. They need to be regularly updated according to any relevant
developments and promoted actively through social media (e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter).
Information graphics, checklists and helpful tips were suggested. Graphics, statistics, quotes
highlighting the growth in Asian economies, the benefits for cultural diversity in the workplace,
etc. are likely to engage employers who will be looking for valid reasons why they should hire an
international student. For the student guide, bite-sized information that students can easily access
depending on their stage or need were also recommended. A booklet version would also be
useful as it allows students to make notes, fill in checklists, articulate career goals etc. It was also
suggested that the guide could include activities that encouraged students to formulate their
own career goals and reflect on what they need to achieve these goals. A checklist at each
stage of the student journey would be helpful so that students could map their own progress
against the recommended guidelines.
All three guides needed a smaller version (one page) that includes the main points.
Planned and targeted communication strategy
Influencing employers on this issue will be a major challenge and requires a well thought out strategy.
The discussion groups felt that rather than adopt a scattergun approach to dissemination, a
clear communication strategy is required for all guides, but especially the employer guide. One
suggestion was that those with strong industry connections be invited to develop a working group
in order to decide which employers should be targeted, how and when.
A media advertising campaign (newspaper, television) was suggested. The key challenge will
be how to influence employers on the issue and convince them that engaging an international
student makes good business sense. The student guide should also be promoted as early in the
student life cycle as possible. Incorporation into orientation weeks was recommended, although
it could possibly be sent to students pre-entry. While careers and employment staff will promote
the guide through their programs, academics must also be briefed and encouraged to actively
promote the guide and its key messages to international students from commencement.
The education provider guide is likely to have broad appeal to a range of institutional
stakeholders such as careers staff, WIL academics and managers. However, the challenge will
be to ensure the key messages reach those with capacity to influence change – such as senior
leaders and academic managers with responsibilities around international students, WIL and
graduate employability.
TWITTER REACH AND ENGAGEMENT
To encourage maximum engagement with attendees – and generate wider, external exposure
for the event – an event hashtag was created (#IEAAemployability) and a live Twitterfeed was
displayed throughout the day using TweetBeam. A total of 223 tweets were sent from 43 different
contributors. This resulted in a total audience of 51,371 and 180,860 impressions
(see Appendix 3 – Twitter reach and engagement).
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
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REFERENCES
AUIDF (2013), ‘Improving the employment outcomes of international students’,
Melbourne: Prospect Research and Marketing.
DFAT (2014). China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Canberra. dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/chafta/fact-sheets/.../chafta-snapshot.pdf
Becker, R., & Kolster, R. (2012). ‘International student recruitment: policies and developments in selected countries’, Nuffic.
Blackmore, B., Gribble, C., Farrell, L., Rahimi, M., Arber, R. & Devlin, M. (2014), ‘Australian international graduates and the transition to employment’, Final Report for the ARC Linkage Project LP0990815. Funded by the Australian Research Council and IDP Pty Ltd.
Australian Government (2015a), Draft National Strategy for International Education,
Canberra: Department of Education and Training.
Australian Government (2015b), International Student Survey 2014: Overview Report,
Canberra: Department of Education and Training.
Gribble, C. (2014), ‘Employment, Work Placements and Work Integrated Learning of International Students in Australia’, Research Digest Series: International Education Association Australia.
Lawrence, R. (2014). ‘Providing the Mix to Secure the Match’, IEAA International Student Employability Symposium, Melbourne: Investment Centre Victoria, May 15.
Kell, P. (2014). ‘Global Shifts in Migration Policy and their Implications for Skills Formation, Nations, Communities and Corporations’, Workforce Development (pp. 17-31). Springer Singapore.
OECD. (2014). Education at a Glance 2014: OECD indicators. OECD: Paris.
Ortiz, A., & Choudaha, R. (2014), ‘Attracting and Retaining International Students in Canada’,
WES Research & Advisory Services.
Pryor, R., & Bright, J. (2004). ‘I Had Seen Order and Chaos, but Had thought They were Different: The Challenges of the Chaos Theory for Career Development’, Australian Journal of Career Development, 13(3), 18–22.
Universities Australia (2015), National Strategy on Work Integrated Learning in University Education. Canberra: Universities Australia.
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
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APPENDIX 1: PROGRAM
REGISTRATION
9.00am – 9.30am
WELCOME
9.30am – 9.40am
■■ Julian Hill – Executive Director, International Education and Migration,
Victorian Government Department of Economic Development
■■ Hon. Phil Honeywood – Chief Executive Officer (CEO),
International Education Association of Australia (IEAA)
SCENE SETTING
9.40am – 10.00am
Australia is globally at the forefront of innovative training, but how do we provide greater access to
employment for international students? Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham discusses the challenges
for Australia as a training leader.
■■ Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham,
Assistant Minister for Education and Training, Australian Government
EMPLOYABILITY: PROVIDING THE MIX TO SECURE THE MATCH
10.00am – 10.30am
The single most important return on investment for international students is employment. In order to
secure employment, international students seek every opportunity to engage with industry, but few
succeed. This paper draws on in-depth discussion with graduate recruiters from a wide range of
industries to examine some of the barriers facing students and employers alike.
■■ Rob Lawrence – Principal, Prospect Research and Marketing
MORNING TEA
10.30am – 11.00am
GOOD PRACTICE GUIDES: STUDENTS, INSTITUTIONS AND EMPLOYERS
11.00am – 12.00pm
This session will examine the three good practice guides – aimed at students, institutions and
employers – that have been commissioned especially for this symposium. The authors of each
guide will provide an insight into current policies, highlight good practice and offer practical
suggestions to enhance employability. Followed by Q&A.
■■ Associate Professor Chris Ziguras (Chair) – Vice-President, IEAA;
Deputy Dean (International), School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT
■■ Jo Doyle – Manager, Careers and Further Studies, Trinity College
■■ Dr Cate Gribble – Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Research
in Educational Futures and Innovation, Deakin University
■■ Racquel Shroff – Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) /
Katherine Smith – Senior Industry Policy Adviser, VECCI.
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
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PERSPECTIVES ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EMPLOYABILITY:
PANEL DISCUSSION
12.00pm – 1.00pm
Panel discussion followed by Q&A.
■■ Judie Kay (Chair) – Assistant Director, Careers and Employment, RMIT;
President, Australian Collaborative Education Network (ACEN)
■■ Geoff Adams – Co-founder and Director, GradAustralia
■■ Julie Howell – President, National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services
(NAGCAS); Associate Director, Careers and Employment Centre, Curtin University
■■ Jenny Lambert – Director, Employment Education & Training,
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)
■■ Amrit Saboo – International Student Graduate
■■ Alice Wong – Head of Asian Leadership, Human Resources, Westpac Group
LUNCH
1.00pm – 2.00pm
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
2.00pm – 3.10pm
These breakout sessions will provide an opportunity to contribute to the three good practice
guides commissioned especially for this symposium. Participants will reflect on the content of the
guides and how we can maximise their use to enhance employment outcomes for Australia’s
international students. There will be two separate sessions allowing participants to provide input
into two guides of their choice.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS REPORT BACK
3.10pm – 3.40pm
NEXT DIRECTIONS: PANEL DISCUSSION
3.40pm – 4.20pm
Representatives from the various international education sectors will reflect on the challenges,
outcomes and opportunities emerging from the symposium.
■■ Helen Cook (Chair) – Associate Director, Client Relations (Australasia), ETS Global
■■ Melissa Banks – Australian Universities International Directors’ Forum (AUIDF)representative;
Director, Swinburne International, Swinburne University of Technology
■■ Phil Honeywood – Chief Executive Officer, IEAA
■■ Helen Zimmerman – Group General Manager, Government & Stakeholder Relations, Navitas
NETWORKING DRINKS
4.30pm – 5.30pm
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
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APPENDIX 2: DELEGATE LIST
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
ORGANISATION
Abbagari
Rahul
Monash Postgraduate Association
Adams
Geoff
gradaustralia
Allen
Phillip
UTS:INSEARCH
Anderson
Larry
Macquarie University
Asquith
Jo
James Cook University
Athanassopoulos
Nitsa
University of Sydney
Banks
Melissa
Swinburne University of Technology
Barton
Georgina
Griffith University
Bellino
Michelle J
Melbourne School of Engineering
Bennett
Kathryn
Griffith University
Berry
Samantha
University of New South Wales
Blackmore
Jill
Deakin University
Burdett
Kimberly
The University of Adelaide
Cahir
Miriam
University of Melbourne
Casey
Mike
GradConnection Pty Ltd
Catchpole
Heather
Refraction Media
Cavanaugh
Karen
Careers Centre, University of Sydney
Chan
Hock Thye
EduCo Australia Pty Ltd
Chien
Laura
Department of Education and Training
Clarke
Mary
CPA Australia
Cook
Helen
ETS TOEFL
Coultes
Nicole
The University of Melbourne
Crawford
Vanessa
Sarina Russo Group of Companies
Crema
Lisa
James Cook University
Crvenkovic
Diana
Department of Economic Development
Crysell
Ruby
Trinity College, University of Melbourne
Decker
Blye
Business Council of Australia
Dienhoff
Kim
IDP Education
Doherty
Julie
Macquarie University
Dow
Stephanie
Study Melbourne
Doyle
Jo
Trinity College, University of Melbourne
Doyle
Olivia
Swinburne University of Technology
Espinoza
Hilda Mariela
Mendoza
Monash Postgraduate Association
Ferreira
Ana
Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University
Gonzalez
Rosemarie
Learning Teaching & Student Engagement
Goodrick
Samantha
Monash Professional Pathways
Graham
Nicole
Griffith University
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
20
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
ORGANISATION
Gribble
Cate
Deakin University
Hall
Rebecca
Department of Economic Development
Hannan
Trish
Brisbane Marketing
Harris
Lynette
Navitas Ltd
Hartridge
Danielle
Victoria University
Hartwig
Kay
Griffith University
Healy
Michael
La Trobe University
Henderson
Fiona
Victoria University
Hernandez
Raul
Australian Centre of Further Education
Hoare
Jacqui
The University of Melbourne
Holland
Rohan
Readygrad
Honeywood
Phil
International Education Association of Australia
Howell
Julie
NAGCAS and Curtin University
Huffer
Sue
Monash College
Jacka
Lyndell
IDP Education Ltd
Jain
Rhea
The University of Queensland
Joffe
Jonathan
Monash University
Jordan
Louisa
Committee for Melbourne
Kay
Judie
RMIT University
Keedle
Jane
Department of Economic Development
Khairina
Nina
Monash Student Association
Kidd
Paul
James Cook University
Kiss
Eszter
James Cook University
Knoch
Ute
University of Melbourne
Lambert
Jenny
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Lawrence
Rob
Prospect Research & Marketing
Lester
Blake
Study Melbourne
Lord
Linda
Prospect Research & Marketing
Lynch
Kath
RMIT University
Mackey
Craig
IDP Education Ltd
Mackey
Peter
StudyNSW
Maes
Michelle
Monash University
Makara
Peter
Griffith University
Mallegrom
Hanneke
RMIT University
Mansour
Vanessa
Department of Economic Development
Martin
Courtney
Bond University
Mather
Dineli
Deakin University
McDonald
Debra
The University of Melbourne
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
21
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
ORGANISATION
Milnes
Stephen
Australian National University
Molony
John
Deakin University
Momcilovic
David
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Moore
Ainslie
Universities Australia
Morris
Taye
UNSW
Muntz
Peter
International Education Association of Australia
Murray
Dennis
LH Martin Institute University of Melbourne
Nunn
Julie
Monash College
O'Callaghan
Emily
International Education Association of Australia
O'Donnell
Nuala
University of Wollongong
Ong
Danny
Monash University
Owen
Kelly
Trinity College, University of Melbourne
Ponnusamy
Vivek
SAE Institute
Potts
Davina
Australian National University
Powell
Martin
ACPET
Prentice
Alex
Study Melbourne
Preston
Paul
Australian National University
Proctor
Douglas
University of Melbourne
Purchas
Andrew
GradConnection Pty Ltd
Ramsahye
Lovelesh
Victoria University
Richards
Noel
Sarina Russo Group of Companies
Richardson
Sarah
Australian Council for Educational Research
Ridwan
Sofia
RMIT
Robles
Walter
Monash Postgraduate Association
Rogan
Darryl
Department of Economic Development
Rowland
Adam
RMIT University
Saboo
Amrit
Alumni Mentor
Sardellis
Katrina
Swinburne University of Technology
Shroff
Racquel
VECCI
Silver
Vashti
Southern Cross University
Simpson
Jackie
University of Western Sydney
Smith
Desma
Swinburne University of Technology
Smith
Kath
VECCI
Sogotubu
Esita
University of Technology Sydney
Sooriyakumaran
Dhakshy
Foundation for Young Australians
Stanbury
Sarah
Deakin University
Stanton-French
Sarah
Australian Trade Commission (Austrade)
Sukhera
Ammar
Monash Student Association
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
22
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
ORGANISATION
Tabor
Nina
Flinders University
Thomas
Damon
University of Tasmania
Thomas
Deborah
University of Melbourne
Tobin
Louisa
The University of Melbourne
Toone
Kate
University of South Australia
Tran
Ly
Deakin University
Vesty
Gillian
RMIT University
Wang
Jack
UTS Careers
Wilson
Sonia
Monash College
Winocur
Sharon
Business Higher Education Round Table
Wong
Alice
Westpac Group
Yang Spencer
Sarah
La Trobe University
Zheng
Tony Zhong
The University of Adelaide
Zhong
Chris
RT3 Group
Ziguras
Christopher
RMIT University
Zimmerman
Helen
Navitas Ltd
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
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APPENDIX 3:
TWITTER REACH AND ENAGEMMENT
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
24
IEAA INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYABILITY SYMPOSIUM: OUTCOMES REPORT
25
Contact us
IEAA Secretariat
PO Box 12917
A’Beckett Street
Melbourne VIC 8006
Australia
+613 9925 4579
admin@ieaa.org.au
ieaa.org.au/employability