Is your employability offering impressing international students?

With borders reopening and new government incentives to attract international students back to our shores, there are finally positive signs for strong growth in international education in Australia.

Equally, there has never been a more competitive time for those in international education, as institutions compete aggressively to rebuild their enrolments.

It is no secret that international students want to know what an institution will do for their employability when choosing their study destination and program. For years, surveys by the likes of IDP and i-graduate have identified this as one of the top factors influencing study choice.

A meaningful employability program can be a powerful differentiator when potential students and/or their parents decide between numerous institutions and programs from thousands of miles away.

If your marketing collateral includes a careers service, resume assistance and interview workshops, then your offering is not differentiated. Everyone has that…at the very least.

To really stand out in the offshore market, you need a comprehensive and deep employability program. We recommend the following:

• A name/brand for the program – something that is unique to your institution
• A student development journey – mapped out from Year 1 Term 1
• A combination of employability training and experiential learning – internships being the most sought-after and with the most significant impact on outcomes for international students
• An intensive training program to help students find their own internships - if you can’t guarantee one
• A portfolio to track achievements – can be connected to online profiles
• Dedicated training & support components for international students – they have more to learn and additional challenges to tackle

This may seem daunting, but it can start with a few elements and/or one faculty or program. Pre-COVID, we saw these types of programs driving significant international student growth for our partner institutions. We expect it to be a powerful differentiator in the current market (and help to limit the price competition spiral).

And, of course, it is not just about achieving enrolment growth. The beauty of a substantial employability program is that it maximises relevant job outcomes, increases student satisfaction, positively impacts rankings and produces life-changing case studies, which, in turn, further increases your attractiveness to international students!

If you would like assistance developing and/or delivering an outstanding employability program, please get in touch. We’d be happy to help. It’s what we do.

Owen Firth
Chief Employability Officer