Examining the Impact of International Education on Creating a Skilled Workforce in Australia Essay Example

Problem Statement:

The international education in Australia has been facing a great challenge in the establishment of skilled workforce, particularly due to inadequate experience, and inadequate communication skills.

Research Objectives:

To estimate the number of international students in Australia this year

To compare the number of international students who get employed and the number of students who do not secure job opportunities

To evaluate the challenges faced by the international students in their workplaces

Prior work in the area

Increased globalization has been experienced over the past decades. The globalization has led to an increase of the international students in Australia, particularly at the tertiary level. The number of international students in Australia is continually growing as the years go by (Colbeck 2016, p.2): (Doyle 2017, p.1). The Department of Education, Employment and Workforce Relations in Australia reported that by 2007 there were almost 175000 international students in Australia. Among the member states of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, an international student is defined as he or she who has crossed over the home country’s border with an intention to study in the foreign land. Research shows that by 2006, Australia has the largest portion of international students. The international students in Australian universities and colleges add up to 17.8% of all students in the country, including the students who are in Australia for training as well as vacation purposes. The population of international students in Australia is continually increasing (Withers 2009, p.19).

Most of the students who study in Australia as international students are usually from China. However, employability of the international student has been identified as a primary challenge in the Country. There is a broad range of reasons why employment of international students in continually becoming a problem in the country. The major reason is the lack of experience outside the Australian context. The students are hence seeking to acquire work experience which can be relevant for international job opportunities. The experience which will be gained by the student is aimed at complementing the necessity foreign skills and fostering the international students’ career portfolio. The study destination of different students is determined by the post-work options. The students who have been into the international system of education experience the challenges of obtaining local jobs in the country due to limited connections. Additionally, the students are often not informed about the labor market of Australia, and more so, they have poor comprehension of the application processes in Australia as they are not citizens of the country. The international students face challenges after education due to lack of the most effective communication skills, making the students less competent for the labor market in Australia (Gribble 2014, p. 1).

Australia is working hard towards adding the value of international education by 2025. The country looks forward to increasing the innovative nature of the education and global aspect and much focus in the future hence making international education sustainable. The national reputation of Australia is also going to be improved, especially through training, collaboration in education and increasing research. Creation of more opportunities for the communities and Australian providers will also be in line with the national strategy for international education 2015 (Australian Government Department of Education and Training, 2017, p. 1; Baines 2016, p. 4).

Research which has been conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals the significance of the international students on the job market in Australia. The hospitality sector in Australia has benefited from the labor provided by about 40,000 of students from various countries. The research has been linked to the census data of Australian universities as well as the biographical information of the citizens who do not hold permanent visas in the country. According to the report of 2011 by the Bureau of Statistics, one of three international students in Australia secured job opportunities. Among the workers in the hospitality industry in the country, 15% of them were international students. The cleaners and laundry workers add up to 11% of the total international students in the country. 10% of the foreign workers, on the other hand, are in the sales and marketing industry. The rest portions of the international students are the workers in the food stores. The international students are faced with challenges during their post-study work as the department of immigration in Australia has failed to track their welfare regarding working hours (Gothe-Snape 2017, p.1).

Hypothesis:

The largest percentage of international students from Australia face challenges in the workplace due to poor communication skills and lack of experience.

Probable Approach

The study will adopt quantitative and quantitative approaches. The situation of the international students in Australia will be described qualitatively, while the statistic data will add to the quantitative aspect of the study, especially in giving the numbers of the students who are employed and the percentage of those who have not secured employment opportunities.

The research design which will be adopted for the study is the descriptive survey. Some of the study population will be assessed as the sample for the study. The study units will include organizations which employ the international students; Apple Company as well as the institutions of higher learning which offer international education services; Melbourne University. Stratified sampling will be adopted for the study as different units of study will be involved. The study will include both male and females from the age of 18-60 years. The sample will be drawn from the data provided by the Department of Education, Employment and Workforce Relations in Australia.

Questionnaires will be emailed to the respective participants in the study. The study will take place online as the respondents send back their responses through the email.

Value of the Study:

The study will be efficient in the identification of the impact of the international education in the establishment of the workforce in Australia. The challenges faced by the international students after graduation will also be identified and an action plan towards solving the problems. Including the female and male participants will ensure gender equality. The age groups will give different responses for diversity purposes in the study. Additionally, the age of the participants will include both the employers and the international students in Australia. The questionnaires, on the other hand, will be valid in the assessment of the attitudes, knowledge and the practices of the participants as it is a social study (Bird 2009, p. 1310). The study will also be efficient in giving the employees the basis of the training requirements of the international students once they are acquiring the vacancies in the firms. The study will also be efficient in fostering the economy of Australia. Moreover, the institutions of higher learning will also identify the gaps in the learning methods, especially in the communication skills. The study will also be efficient in informing the immigration department on the challenges faced by the international students in the workplaces.

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