Unlock a rewarding career in Australia’s capital, Canberra

It is no secret that Australia’s capital, Canberra is becoming a preferred destination for international students wanting to build a life and a career in the country. The city boasts a vibrant lifestyle, with strong career opportunities for students.

Some of the top career opportunities in Canberra are found in business, healthcare, communications, cyber security, technology, environmental sciences, and defence, to name a few. Adding to this, Canberra’s median income is consistently the highest in Australia whilst also having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

After graduation, international students studying in Canberra can apply for the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485) which allows students with a Bachelor’s degree to work in Australia for up to 3 years, or up to 4 years for Master’s degree graduates. The combination of all these factors makes the city an attractive destination for international students looking to start a life abroad.

Learning the workplace skills demanded by employers

 In order to prepare for a career in Australia, students need to find the right university to help them build the type of skills most in demand by employers. The University of Canberra (UC) specialises in preparing students for the work place, and offers one of Australia’s most extensive Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programs. Each year, UC matches students in up to 6,000 work placements with some of the city’s top employers.

 The WIL program focuses on putting theoretical knowledge learned at the University into practice while also familiarizing students with industry terminology. The program also ensures students are trained to hone their technical abilities and develop workplace communication skills, along with how to collaborate and work as a team.  Students are provided with supervisors throughout their program who provide technical guidance and support during the internship.

It’s little wonder students who have undertaken WIL find it easier to integrate themselves into Australian workplaces. As they have been familiarised with the work environment and know what to expect, they will hit their workplaces running. Being job-ready is a quality most employers look for while screening potential candidates.

Australian employers are looking for skills plus cultural fit

 To land a job in Australia, aspiring students will benefit from to an ability to adapt to organisational culture. This comes down to an understanding of organisational values, professionalism, and ‘who you are.’ For example, an organization looking for an Occupational Therapist in the not-for-profit sector would be looking to hire someone driven by people-oriented values. Employers would much rather hire someone who understands the workplace culture (including its values) and is enthusiastic to contribute to it.

To gain deeper insights into the employment landscape in Australia, students would do well to consider Careers UC, a dedicated careers support service offered by the University of Canberra. Careers UC helps students with career advice and guidance, internship, and placements. Students can log in online to browse career and placement opportunities and gain access to resources like the Careers Toolkit which provides details on how to create good resumes. Careers UC also offers 1-on-1 drop-in sessions to support students with anything that may be career or placement related.

Gaining a competitive edge makes all the difference in landing a dream job

When comparing universities, it’s important to make a choice that will give students the competitive advantages needed to land their dream jobs. For students looking to build a career and a life abroad, UC’s unique approach to building and nurturing workplace skills can give students a crucial competitive edge that will help them unlock employment opportunities in Canberra.