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Essential graduate employability
skills to build your career
Olivia Doyle
International Student Advisor - Employability
12 August 2015
Swinburne
Presenter:
Olivia Doyle
International Student Advisor Employability
International Student Life
Tel 9214 8248
Email odoyle@swin.edu.au
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Agenda
Swinburne
 Overview of International Student Life employability support
 Setting the scene – it’s competitive out there
 Skills in demand
 Australia
 International
 The employability road map – skill development
 Case studies
 Launch IEAA International Student Guide
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International Student Life:
Employability support
Swinburne
 Specialist support for international students aiming to work in partnership
with you to develop your employability
 Provide professional insights and guidance
 Connect you with programs, events and activities to advance your
professional career internationally and in Australia
 Employability road map – a professional development guide for each stage
of your Swinburne student life cycle
 More details:
www.swinburne.edu.au/student/international/employability
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International Student Life Employability
Swinburne
 Monthly Employability News
 Regular program of employability seminars
 Skill seminars
 Student appointments
 Connections
 Networking events
 Cross cultural events
SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN
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Industry Connections
Speed Networking Event
Swinburne
Six leading industry representatives providing insights into:
 Australian business environment & culture
 Employability skills
 Overview of opportunities in corporate, small / medium business & not
for profit sectors
 International employment – Asian spotlight
 Job search strategies
Thursday 20 August
4.30 – 6.30 pm
Student Lounge, The George
Drinks & Savouries
Professional business dress
Register www.swin.edu.au/international/employability
(if you register you MUST attend)
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Swinburne
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Announcing
International Student
SKILL DEVELOPMENT
SEMINARS
commencing Semester 2 2015
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International student employability skill development
seminars - FREE
Swinburne
Seminars
Essential graduate employability skills to build your career
Weds 12 August 2.30 – 3.30 pm EN101
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
Soft skills employers expect
Tactics to build your skills while you study
Enhancing your performance in work teams
Tuesday 25 August 2.30 – 3.30 pm BA702
Strategies for working effectively in teams
Business skills & etiquette
Wednesday 9 September 3.30 – 5.30 pm BA201

Navigating the modern workplace
Using emotional intelligence in the workplace
Wednesday 23 September 12.30 – 2.30 pm EN313
Strong emotional intelligence is a key to business and career success
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Interact effectively with others
Develop strong relationships
Manage conflict
Personal motivation
Communication skills for the workplace
Thursday 29 October 2.30 – 4.30 pm EN413
Meetings, phone calls, emails and other communications in a
professional setting


Registrations:
www.swinburne.edu.au/student
/international/employability /
Polish your verbal communication style
Contemporary business writing principles
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International Student Job Club
Swinburne
If you are looking for a part time / casual job or professional
employment, join our Job Club to get support, share ideas and network
Come along to our informal fortnightly meetings to:
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Find out who is hiring & share job leads
Get advice on job search strategies
Update your job search tool kit
Learn about Swinburne support services
Hear from guest speakers
Support each other
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Swinburne
Semester 2 Job Club Dates
11.30 – 12.30 am Monday 10 August in BA602
1.30 – 2.30 pm Wednesday 26 August in BA608
1.30 – 2.30 pm Thursday 10 September in BA602
12.30 – 1.30 pm Thursday 24 September in BA605
11.30 - 12.30 pm Tuesday 6 October in BA605
11.30 – 12.30 pm Monday 19 October in BA602
12.30 – 1.30 pm Thursday 5 November in BA606
11.30 – 12.30 pm Tuesday 24 November in BA602
No need to register – just come along
Dates are also on website
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Graduate employability - setting the scene
Swinburne
It’s a competitive market place for graduates world wide
You need to use your time at Swinburne to focus on building your employability
Statistical snapshot:
 Global employment trends for youth in 2013 showed a ‘generation at risk’
International Labour Organisation
 40% of Australian jobs could be replaced by technology by 2025
Committee for Economic Development Australia, June 2015
 University qualifications used to be a strong determinant of above average
earnings and lower unemployment – the future is less certain
The Observatory Melbourne Conference, 2015
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Swinburne
Australian Graduate Destinations Survey 2014:
 Decrease in number of full time jobs available for graduates
 2014 one of the most challenging employment environments for Australian
graduates since records kept in 1970s
Statistics from Asia also show a challenging market for graduates:
 China – unemployment of university graduates = 16.4% in 2012
China Household Finance Survey 2012
SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN
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Employer skill shortages – the war for talent
Swinburne
 Employers are reporting a desire to hire more graduates if appropriately
skilled and qualified graduates were available GCA, 2015
 A recent CEO Institute survey reported the no. 1 issue concerning CEOs is
‘sourcing and retaining skilled staff’ AHRI, 2015
Key Message
You need to develop the skills in demand by employers
Use your time at university to build your employability
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Swinburne
Presentation
can be accessed
at:
Yourslides
professional
career
starts NOW
UPDATE LINK
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/careers/pep
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Swinburne
‘International students are too focused on their studies and
think about careers and employment too late in the careers
lifecycle.’
Rob Lawrence, Improving the employment outcomes of international students’ 2013
SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN
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Swinburne Employability ‘Road Map’
Swinburne
Guide for your development through each stage of your student life
cycle
Suggests activities for you to plan your career and enhance your
employability throughout your studies
Use the steps to create your own map & adapt to suit your needs
Don’t attempt everything – take responsibility for your own career and
make your employability roadmap work for you.
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/student/international/employability/roadmap.html
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Swinburne
Swinburne International Student
Employability Roadmap
Step 1
Orientation & Transition to Swinburne
Part time job
Work on language & written coms
Skill development
Step 3
Transition Out
Find a professional mentor
Capstone project
Develop job search tool kit
Job or internship related to studies
Step 2
Transition Through
Join professional association
Volunteer on campus
Network
Enter competitions
Student leadership roles on campus
Step 4
Transition Onwards
Continue to access Swinburne career support
services
Become an active alumni
Plan for the next stage of your career
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What skills and
attributes do
employers look for
in a graduate….
Employer expectations activity
Rank
Jumbled Key Selection Criteria
Teamwork skills
Aptitude
Leadership skills
Cultural fit
Adaptable
Communication skills
Academic results
Interpersonal skills
Work experience
Motivational fit
Swinburne
Employer expectations activity
Swinburne
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The survey results in the table have been jumbled

Work in pairs or with a group

Match the Key Selection Criteria to the correct rank by listing
the corresponding numbers in the left-hand column (ranking 1
being most important to 10 being least important)
Employer expectations activity - ANSWERS
RANK
Ordered Key Selection Criteria
1
Communication skills
49%
2
Academic results
24%
3
Teamwork skills
22%
4
Aptitude
22%
5
Interpersonal skills
21%
6
Leadership skills
20%
7
Work experience
20%
8
Cultural fit
19%
9
Motivational fit
18%
10
Adaptable
14%
Source: Graduate Outlook 2014, Graduate Careers Australia
Swinburne
Australian employability skills
Swinburne
The Australian government research has identified 8 key employability
skills which are vital to work on during your studies:
 Communication
 Teamwork
 Problem solving
 Initiative and enterprise
 Planning and organising
 Self management
 Learning
 Technology
International employer skills expectations
Swinburne
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UK graduate capabilities & importance
rating
Source:
Importance
Rank
Satisfaction
Rank
Communication skills
1
16
Team work skills
2
7
Confidence
5
13
Character / personality
6
6
Planning &
organisational skills
7
17
Analysis & decision
making skills
10
26
Commercial awareness
13
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Swinburne
Graduate Employability: What do employers think and want?
Council for Industry and Higher Education, UK
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UK graduate capabilities employers are
most satisfied with & importance ranking
Swinburne
Importance Rank Satisfaction Rank
IT skills
Postgrad qualification
Good degree classification
Qualification from
institution with good
reputation
Intellectual ability
Character / personality
Team work skills
Relevant course of study
Integrity
Cultural fit with your
company
Source:
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33
15
26
1
2
3
4
4
6
2
20
3
19
5
6
7
8
9
10
Graduate Employability: What do employers think and want?
Council for Industry and Higher Education, UK
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Self reflection
Swinburne
 Think about your own skills in these key areas
 How do your skills compare?
 How are you working to further develop your skills?
 Do your own self assessment and put together a
development action plan
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Swinburne
Swinburne international student
employability road map
EXAMPLE Personal Action Plan
Step 1
Orientation & Transition to Swinburne
Areas
Personal

Relationships
/ friendships

Health &
wellbeing

Hobbies &
interests
Education
Goals
Potential Barriers
Strategies to Overcome Barriers
-
Meet new friends
Improve personal
fitness
Learn to cook
-
-
Join Swinburne club
Walk to uni & use free Hawthorn pool
Attend free cooking classes at
Hawthorn Community House
Pass all first semester
subjects
-
-
Attend faculty study support classes
Attend Strategies for Success
workshop
Join a study support group
Use assignment help service
-
-
-
I am shy
Limited time / can’t afford gym
Unsure of maths required in stats
classes
Worried about my English writing skills
Skill Development
-
Improve written &
verbal English skills
-
Living with Chinese friends so
continue to speak Cantonese
-
Career /
Employment
-
Get a part time job
-
Don’t know how to find a job
How do I write a resume
I have never worked before
-
Attend LAS lunchtime conversation
classes
Join project groups with local
students
Get a job where I have to speak
English
Write resume using free Swinburne
Centre for Career Development help
Register on SwinEmploy
Attend part time job seeking
workshops
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Do some volunteer work
How can you develop skills?
Hobbies & Interests
Paid Work
Swinburne
Education
Education
Volunteer Work
Volunteer Work
Hobbies
& Interests
Hobbies
& Interests
Life experience
Life Experience
Communicating your story to potential
employers
Swinburne
 Employers know what skills they want (or think they want) from an
employee, but they don’t know what you can do.
 You need to communicate (articulate/explain) your capabilities and
potential
 To successfully convince the employer, you need to prove yourself by
providing examples of when/how you have used particular skills
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Meet Ella Chan
Swinburne
Former
International Master of IT student at Swinburne
Now
Senior Business Analyst with large Australian consulting company
While at Swinburne:
 Moved into a house with local students
 Joined uni clubs - was Vice President of the Women in IT Society
 Barracked for a footy team
 Part time job at McDonalds
 Started own IT support business
 Volunteer website developer for Hawthorn Community House
 Joined group projects with local students
 Joined Australian Computer Society and attended events
Swinburne
University of Technology, Melbourne
 Developed strong IT skills – Excel, Access etc
Australia
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Meet Anh Nguyen
Swinburne
Former
International Bachelor of Business student at Swinburne
Now
Part time accounts clerk / waiter
While at Swinburne:
 Focussed hard on his studies – achieved credits & distinctions
 Lived with Vietnamese relatives
 Worked part time in family Vietnamese restaurant & helped update bookkeeping system
 Played soccer in Vietnamese student team
 Joined group projects with other international students
Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne
Australia
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Which international student
are you?
What can you do to improve
your employability?
Swinburne Emerging Leader Program
Swinburne
Be recognised
Be recognised and receive awards
for activities you undertake
alongside your studies
Timothy Chen, Swinburne Emerging
Leader 2014
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Swinburne Emerging Leader Program
Awards
Campus Participation
Career Development
Community Engagement
Global Citizenship
Industry Experience
Research
Sustainability
SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN
Swinburne
Swinburne Emerging Leader Program
Activities
Almost any
• activity • project
• program • work
• volunteering
you have been involved in while
you have been a current
student at Swinburne University,
can be used in your application
when applying for the awards!
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Swinburne
Swinburne Emerging Leader Program
Activities
The sky’s your limit…
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Swinburne
Swinburne Emerging Leader Program
Swinburne
To be recognised as a Swinburne Emerging
Leader
1. Complete the Career Development Award
2. Complete three of the other awards
3. Demonstrate development in 6 of the 8 skills
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Swinburne Emerging Leader Program
What are the benefits?
Our program will help you to
identify and articulate the learning
experiences that lead to:
• the development of your skills.
• providing you with a portfolio
that highlights your
accomplishments and skills, and
• helping you stand out to
prospective employers
SCIENCE | TECHNOLOGY | INNOVATION | BUSINESS | DESIGN
Swinburne
Register now
swinburne.edu.au/emerging-leader
Enquiries
emerging-leader@swin.edu.au
LAUNCHING
Swinburne
IEAA International Student Guide
https://www.ieaa.org.au/research-projects/international-employability
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Comments & questions
Swinburne
What will you take away from this
session?
What can you do to grow your ‘soft skills’
connections you are at Swinburne?
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