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International Students and Post-study Employment: The Impact of University and Host Community Engagement on the Employment Outcomes of International Students in Australia

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International Student Connectedness and Identity

Part of the book series: Cultural Studies and Transdisciplinarity in Education ((CSTE,volume 6))

Abstract

Post-study employment for international students in Australia has emerged as a key issue facing the international education sector. For international graduates seeking to differentiate themselves in a highly competitive labour market, foreign work experience is now seen as a necessary part of the overseas study ‘package’. However, international students seeking to augment their international qualification with host country work experience face many challenges. Lack of formal work experience programmes, difficulties identifying placement opportunities, issues surrounding English language competency and ‘soft skills’, and limited local networks are some of the barriers to labour market entry for international students. Visa policy also presents significant challenges. However, many of the barriers international students face when attempting to transition into the Australian workplace stem from international students’ broader struggle to connect with the Australian society during their study experience. Drawing on a 3-year study of international graduates transitioning into the Australian labour market, this chapter examines how international student connectedness both on campus and in the local community is closely linked to the development of key ‘employability’ skills demanded in the Australian workplace.

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Acknowledgements

This study draws from an Australian Research Council and IDP Pty Ltd-funded project ‘Investigating stakeholder responses to changing skilled migration policies for Australian international graduates’ undertaken by Jill Blackmore, Lesley Farrell, Ruth Arber, Marcia Devlin, Cate Gribble and Mark Rahimi.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SHEER Centre, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Cate Gribble

  2. School of Education, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia

    Mark Rahimi & Jill Blackmore

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  1. Cate Gribble
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Correspondence to Cate Gribble .

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  1. School of Education, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia

    Ly Thi Tran

  2. RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Catherine Gomes

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Gribble, C., Rahimi, M., Blackmore, J. (2017). International Students and Post-study Employment: The Impact of University and Host Community Engagement on the Employment Outcomes of International Students in Australia. In: Tran, L., Gomes, C. (eds) International Student Connectedness and Identity. Cultural Studies and Transdisciplinarity in Education, vol 6. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2601-0_2

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