work Archives - Opportunities Abroad

August 11, 2021 by Edgar

IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training? (Part 2)

Previously we elaborated on how IELTS can open doors for those wanting to study in a foreign country. IELTS Academic is the popular choice when it comes to higher education, whereas courses below degree level may require you to take IELTS General Training.

Read on to know which IELTS test can help you land a job in an English-speaking country and which one can help you move abroad permanently.

IELTS for work

Getting a good IELTS band score can, without doubt, greatly enhance your work prospects, as it proves to prospective employers that you have enough language skills to work and live comfortably in an English-speaking environment.

Employers from a wide range of sectors, such as healthcare, finance, government, construction, energy, aviation and tourism, require prospective employees to submit an IELTS result. It is up to individual test users to determine the IELTS band scores and test type (Academic or General Training) that best serve their needs.

You will most likely be asked to sit IELTS Academic if you wish to register with a professional body in industries such as nursing, medicine and pharmacy, where English language competence is of critical importance. IELTS General Training, on the other hand, is usually required for vocational training, for example in the construction, hospitality and leisure, and tourism industries.

IELTS for migration

IELTS is accepted as evidence of English language proficiency for migration by several countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Remember that each country sets its own IELTS requirement – for instance, the minimum IELTS score for migrating to New Zealand is 6.5, whereas Australia has set the minimum score at 6. The score required may also vary depending on the type of visa you apply for.

Individuals intending to apply for permanent residency in a foreign country most commonly take IELTS General Training. It measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context, and the tasks and texts reflect both workplace and social situations.

All in all, IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training are two separate tests designed for two different purposes. While we may have answered some of your questions, it is best to check the entry requirements set by your organisation before deciding which IELTS test to take.

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July 13, 2018 by Edgar

View From Campus: Student Work in the U.S. Part II: After Studies

In a previous post we focused on opportunities for international students in F-1 visa status to work while in the United States while they’re studying. In this post we take you through the opportunities they have after they finish their studies.

For some people, knowing how a story ends before they begin reading a book can be an obsession. When it comes to learning what lies ahead for international students after graduation from university in the United States, students and parents are eager to know the ending as well.

By law, after completion of their studies, F-1 students have either 12 months (for non-STEM degrees) or up to 36 months for STEM degrees of Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorisation possible per degree level for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral level students. There are 240 different Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) academic degree programs that can qualify international students for the 3 years of work. The challenge is finding the job that makes sense.

Where to start?

When starting out the job search Marcelo Barros, founder of The International Advantage, recommends that “savvy international students are not fixated on specific job titles or firms that they may want to work for. Instead, with time on their side, it is preferred that students focus on understanding the various professional fields their careers interests, skills and experiences might be a fit for, and that they may be aware of. It’s all about creating a bigger pool of employment possibilities.”

Also, students who go to sessions on putting together a resume and cover letter that gets sent to prospective employers, are off to a good start. As Nicolle Merrill, founder of GlobalMe School, remarked that cover letters and resumes are “the main tools students use to get an interview with a company. The challenge is that nobody is good at writing (them)…. Even Americans are bad at it.”

Making the most of opportunities

On many college campuses each year, there are job fairs and interview days held that can open the door to the right job. However, students should not go into those fairs without proper preparation. Research is a key first step. Knowing which companies are attending and whether they sponsor international students helps a job seeker focus his/her time on those potential employers that may be a good match.

How international students spend their time with company representatives is critical. Students should know how they want to introduce themselves in 30 seconds. Ms. Merrill recommends that international students “practice your professional story. Know what you’re going to tell recruiters when they ask you to tell them about yourself.”

Ms. Merrill has an important suggestion on how to take the next step: “Follow up by connecting with recruiters on LinkedIn and sending them a personal message. You never know where a connection might lead in the future.”

Searching for jobs as a non-STEM graduate

While the majority of international students in the United States are studying in the STEM fields, and have additional time available to them to work, a sizeable number are not STEM students. Barros suggests that these students “should create a competitive profile by creatively strengthening their profile with an eye towards the skills that are in demand by U.S employers.”

Merrill goes further indicating “there will be much more networking and research involved. It also takes longer to find the right role, so students need to plan for a 6-9 month search to see results…. For non-STEM students, I recommend targeting nonprofits or universities.” In addition focusing on higher education institutions, Merrill suggests “students should also target roles in less competitive locations. This means targeting less popular cities and regions such as in the Mid-West and South of the United States.”

In the end, there are no guarantees of employment for international students after graduation, but with extensive planning and preparation, significant initiative and follow-up, and meeting the right company, the opportunities exist. Good luck!

May 23, 2018 by Edgar

View From Campus: Student Work in the U.S. Part I: During Studies

Image courtesy of AliveCampus.com

After students arrive on campus at a U.S. college or university, one of the questions they have about their privileges and benefits as an international student involves work. For many of their American classmates, working while at college is very much a part of the day-to-day experience. U.S. students can find employment wherever they want to and can be hired. That is not the case, legally, for international students on an F-1 visa.

On-Campus Work

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services F-1 students may accept on-campus employment during their first academic year. That on-campus work is limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session, and up to full-time (40 hours/week) during school breaks or vacations.

Many international students, like ones we have profiled on this Opportunities Abroad blog, do take on-campus jobs for a variety of reasons. Madhav now works as a resident adviser, Swati serves as a Global Ambassador for her institution, and Rasana was a graduate assistant in an international office. Oftentimes the work is a good way to help pay for personal expenses students have above and beyond their tuition and fees.

Curricular Practical Training

What most students hope to do before they graduate is to get some experience in their intended career field. The regulations governing this type of work for international students, called curricular practical training (CPT), allow for the college’s Designated School Officials (DSOs) to approve either full-time or part-time work for international students off-campus with certain restrictions.

U.S. colleges and universities may have very different definitions of what a required internship or practicum is. Some departments, for example, in engineering, health fields or even education, may have courses that are designated as “coop” or practicum or student teaching programs that students must register for as part of their degree requirements. Others may have a special internship course. Other academic majors may not have any options for CPT for international students, so students should be sure to check with their advisers to see what is possible.These kinds of internships can be invaluable for international students during their time in the United States.

There is a restriction that does limit the amount of authorized CPT a student can work. Students cannot exceed 365 calendar days of CPT approval if the student wants to take advantage of Optional Practical Training (OPT) after completion of their studies. We’ll discuss OPT and other work opportunities in the next The View From Campus post. Stay tuned!

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June 28, 2017 by Edgar

Summer Travelling on a Student Budget

Image courtesy of Jack Snell via Flickr (CC 2.0)

The Long Hot Summer

The one sure thing about university is that you get holidays – lots of them! And summer is the biggest and the best time to set off on some adventures. But they can burn a hole in your pocket too, so here are some tips to keep you on the road…

Make the most of them – plan your trip

Planning your budget for your holiday is of course the most important way to keep costs down. Contingency money and travel insurance(!) are also must-haves. You never know when you’re going to need it and you’ll be glad that you have it when you do. If you travel a lot, think about getting annual cover, as the costs tend to be less.

Planning can also steer you clear of the dreaded ‘tourist traps’ that will quickly see your bank balance go south! Main tourist spots will attract a hike in prices, so be sure you know as best you can before you go what you should expect to pay for food, hotels etc.

It’s a long summer, so working and saving before going anywhere is always a good option for students. It gives you the time to save your pennies and plan your trip before setting out.

Work whilst you’re away

Finding a job whilst you’re travelling can give you a great chance to get to know the people and culture of a place you’re visiting. Best of all, you’ll make friends for life.

It can also give you a base and the money to explore the country from. Your new friends can give you the inside information on the best places to go and how to avoid the tourist traps that will drain your bank account.

Having experience of working in different countries always looks impressive on a CV too.

Use your Social Media

As well as the must-have travel guides in book form, there is a lot you can now research online to find the best deals and most exciting places to go. Social media is also a good way to check what’s going on in certain places and potentially find a job for when you arrive. As ever – be cautious on the internet and never give over your details. Only use it for extra research, as things may be very different when you get there!

Once you’re there, social media can help plug you in to what’s going on in town, and find the best places to explore

Festivals and Camps

Festivals and camps that only exist in the summer will often be looking for employees, so can be a great way of having a cheap holiday. Camps like Camp America will pay for your room and board, and you’ll have extra money to spend as you see fit.

Again, this type of work will look great on your CV and you’ll have made great friends whilst enjoying yourself – that can’t be bad!

Failing all of that, you can start saving now and travel the world next year!

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May 10, 2017 by Edgar

The View From Campus: Entering Work

In this month’s instalment of The View From Campus, Rasana Pradhan, a master’s degree student in environmental safety & health management at University of Findlay, talks about her plans for after graduation.

After studying for two years, it’s time for me to graduate. This feeling of leaving behind my friends, professors, supervisors and colleagues tears me up, but life moves on.

After I graduate my life will be totally different, I will have to adjust in a new environment with new people – it will be a new beginning. As soon as I graduate, I will have to find a new job. My university has been very supportive and always comes up with different events for international students with job placement opportunities.

As international students on F-1 student visas, after completing two semesters of study we can apply for curricular practical training (CPT) and work as full or part-time interns in companies. Once graduated, students can apply for optional practical training (OPT) to be eligible to work in their related field. For students with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) the OPT session is for a period of 3 years and for others it is 1 year.

Findlay has a Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) on campus for helping students apply for internships and jobs. This center holds job fairs and professional development workshops providing a platform for the students to find internships and jobs. Many pre-eminent companies come to recruit new employees and many students secure internships and jobs from these fairs. CCPD also organize mock interviews to help student face real interviews in the future. Professional development workshops and these mock interview sessions provide useful tips and train students about finding jobs and facing interviews in the correct way.

I truly feel my university helps students find excellent jobs after they graduate. I hope to have positive news soon!

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January 26, 2017 by Edgar

How Work Experience Can Transform Your Prospects

Image courtesy of Matthew Ragan CC 2.0 Flickr

Work experiences can vary greatly – sometimes you’ll be thrown right in at the deep end, and others you’ll have to seek out challenges. Wherever you find yourself during university or after graduating, here are four things to remember to make work experience work for you.

Contacts

Make contacts. Lots of them.

Work experience is your opportunity to meet those people who might be hiring you one day. If you show willingness to learn and enthusiasm for the line of work, your employer will remember you as a safe pair of hands – someone reliable. So, you’re increasing your employability with every good impression you make.

Learn the ropes

Being able to try your hand at the job is unquestionably good. Ok, you might not be performing surgery or presenting a case in court just yet – but being in that environment (hospital or court) will expose you to how things are done and the different expectations there are on different roles.

Even if you are only supporting someone else’s work, or shadowing them, being familiar with the surroundings will make future employers more likely to look favourably at your application.

This is particularly good for when you’re interviewed for that dream job. If you can back up your grades and enthusiasm with evidence that you have worked in the field in some capacity, the interviewer will see that you are serious about your chosen career.

See if it’s for you

Work experience isn’t just for the opportunity to break into a career; it’s your chance to see if the work is something you’d enjoy doing long-term. It’s a good idea to speak to the people who are doing the job already, buy them a coffee and take five minutes to ask them about the drawbacks as well as the advantages. You’ll be getting a clearer picture of whether the career is really for you or not.

What you still need to learn

There will always be a gap between where you are now and where you want to be in the future. You’ll not have all the skills or knowledge to just walk into your dream job. So use work experience to get a picture of the things you can do to improve and then go away and work on them.

GLOSSARY

To throw somebody in a the deep end
Form	:	Phrase (refers to the deep end of a swimming pool, as opposed to the shallow end)
Meaning	:	To make someone do something difficult, especially a job, without much help.
Example	:	“On my first day at school I had to present to the whole class. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end!”

A safe pair of hands
Form	:	phrase
Meaning	:	Someone who can be trusted to do a good job
Example	:	I left Sandy in charge of the shop while I’m on holiday – she’s a safe pair of hands.

(Learn) the ropes
Form	:	phrase
Meaning	:	To become familiar/skillful at doing something
Example	:	It took me a while to learn the ropes, but now I’m a skilled photographer.

Try ones hand at something
Form	:	phrase
Meaning	:	To have a go at something (new)
Example	:	I’d like to try my hand at sailing one day. I’ve never done it before.

A drawback
Form	:	noun
Meaning	:	A disadvantage. A feature that makes something less appealing.
Example	:	The main drawback of working in a bar is the unsociable hours.

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December 22, 2016 by Edgar

How to Choose a Career (You Will Enjoy)

Image courtesy of Melody Hansen (CC Flickr)

Choice Anxiety

Choosing a career, like many things in life, can seem like a daunting prospect. In some countries you’re expected to have an idea of what you want to do as early as 14 years old!

After that it’s hard work towards a university place and finally off to 50 years of work in your chosen profession. This can seem like a lot of pressure and to make big life decisions before you’re really aware of these things!

At such young ages, it is often our parents who have a large say in what we’re doing – though that’s not always the case or indeed a bad thing! But some realism is needed here, as we can’t always know how our tastes, opinions and curiosities will change as we move into adulthood and the world of work.

But how to find a career that you enjoy in the long run? There’s no one answer, but here are a few suggestions…

It’s ok to be confused

I think this is often overlooked, but it can help to ease the anxiety that we (and society) place on finding that ‘dream’ job. Perhaps it’s hard not to feel pressure when you see friends or siblings doing well, but I think it’s fair to say that the majority of people are confused – even if they don’t look it! So don’t pile extra pressure on yourself.

Find what you like to do – this will help

It’s not particularly surprising, but finding the thing(s) that make you happy is a breakthrough in itself. The more you do, the more likely opportunities to get paid for it will come along. This won’t work for everything, of course, but think in the same ‘ball-park’ and things will become clearer.

Transferrable skills

Perhaps the idea of a career is outdated, except for truly vocational and highly specialised professions, such as doctor or lawyer. So, studying medicine or law might be the only way for someone to work in those two professions, of course.

But studying either law or medicine will undoubtedly give you skills and knowledge that could be applied elsewhere – as a health correspondent or legal adviser in the charity sector for instance.

The most important thing here is that there are a multitude of careers and jobs out there that required a range of skills. If you’re not sure what you want to do in the long-term – don’t worry! So long as you are picking up transferrable skills and keeping an interest in a wide range of things, something will happen further down the line.

Try it out

Shop around. Be bold. Ask for advice and make it easy for people to let you help out. Talk to people who are doing the sorts of jobs you’re interested in and ask them how they got there. Impress them with your curiosity and knowledge! All of these things will give you a better idea of what’s required for certain careers and what the reality of the day-to-day work is.

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June 29, 2016 by Edgar

Thinking of Studying in Australia? IELTS is Your Key

Why Australia?

Australia has a number of well-respected degree programmes that international students are flocking to in ever greater numbers.

Its higher education system is now the third most popular for international students in the English-speaking world, behind only the USA and UK, and is set to become more popular still.

It’s unsurprisingly a popular destination for higher learning, as it has built a reputation for academic excellence and career opportunities. It has seven of the world’s top 100 universities and because it is so remote, it often needs skilled professionals to meet shortages in labour.

International students are allowed to work 40 hours each fortnight whilst studying, so many take advantage of that opportunity to get some international workplace experience under their belts, particularly as international employers are increasingly looking for graduates who are comfortable working across borders and cultures.

Advance Australia Fair!

Australia is a young country (in relative terms) and full of a mix of peoples from every corner of the globe. In that way, Australia is a great environment for students to learn and develop in an international setting.

That internationalism is evident in her major cities too. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide are excellent places to study and bases from which students can explore this vast and varied continent. From the Barrier Reef to Uluru (Ayer’s Rock), Australia is home to some of nature’s most awesome sights and unique animals, so don’t miss the chance to get out and see them!

Why IELTS?

IELTS has long been the world’s gold-standard for proving English language ability for international study and work. And Australia is no different.

IELTS test scores are accepted by top universities for studying in Australia, and over 9,000 institutions worldwide.

An IELTS test score can be the key to securing your place at an Australian institution and start you on the road to an international education.

To check what IELTS score you’re chosen Australian universities ask for search here.

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