Australian international graduates and the transition to employment

This study examines the wider policy implications surrounding international graduate employment for countries seeking to both maintain their share of the lucrative international education market and compete for skilled labour in a highly competitive global labour market. For the current generation of international students and their families, global career and mobility opportunities are driving factors in their choice of study destination. Whether they are planning to remain in the host country or return home, acquiring overseas work experience to complement their foreign credential has become a key goal for many international students. For host countries, the economic value of international students is often considerable and in many cases domestic universities rely heavily on revenue from international students. There are also considerable social and cultural benefits associated with international education, including opportunities for deep global engagement.

The overall aim of this study was to investigate issues around the employment of international graduates from Australian universities into professions with skill shortages. The initial research project sought to consider why Australian international graduates were not being recruited by Australian employers in skill shortage areas of accounting, nursing and engineering. The policy context changed significantly just prior to commencing the project, which required a reconceptualisation of the focus to one which investigated stakeholder (universities, students, industry groups, employers) responses to fundamental policy shifts in migration. Despite having an Australian qualification in an area of skill shortage, the study found there are multiple barriers to graduate labour market entry. Many international graduates are poorly prepared for the labour market and have unrealistic expectations of graduate employment. The study also found that when looking for points of differentiation, Australian employers are emphasising discipline related work experience when hiring graduates. Moreover, Australia's skilled migration program also rewards applicants with local work experience in their field. Therefore, international graduates are under pressure to gain work experience either while at university or immediately afterwards to boost their chances of employment success. Both employers and university staff believe more is needed to enhance the employability of international graduates and their understanding of the Australian job application process. Overcoming barriers to international student engagement in work integrated learning is now high on the agenda of many Australian universities.

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