Free micro courses for international students in Australia to prepare for work

The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) has launched the first of its suite of micro-credentials to support employability opportunities for international students. The Work Readiness Micro-credential programme is available for free to international students in Australia. This includes Australian international students who are onshore and offshore; graduates, current and prospective students, said its website.

It provides students with the tools and resources to navigate the job market in both Australia and worldwide successfully. The Work Readiness Micro-credential was developed in partnership with Successful Graduate, an employability training solutions provider to students, graduates, education providers and employers. 

Students and graduates who complete the course will receive a digital certificate of completion that can be shared with professional networks and potential employers via platforms such as LinkedIn. Austrade is the Australian Government’s international trade promotion and investment attraction agency. This initiative is part of Austrade’s ongoing Digital Education Hub programme.

The first of its suite of micro-credentials aim to support employability opportunities for international students in Australia and graduates. Source: Patrick Hamilton/AFP

Boosting the employability of international students in Australia

According to Austrade, course content features include:

• An introduction on how to apply for internships and part-time work
• Bespoke resources on entrepreneurship, personality tests and managing work relationships
• Tailored videos and training resources on preparing for graduate job searches
• Employability tools including application templates, interview tips, negotiation tips and support for handling the first day in a new job

International students in Australia can enhance their employability from the comfort of their own home as the course is primarily a video-based training programme. Students can take the training at their own pace from any device. Each unit provides an introduction to the concepts and processes that will improve students’ employability as they embark on their Australian study experience.

The development of the micro-credential, together with a new suite of digital services and resources, has been designed to support ongoing engagement with Australia’s global student community. It was also designed to add complementary value to an Australian qualification, enhance the student experience, and support improved work-while-you-study and graduate outcomes, it said. 

New digital resources are also in the offing to provide access to prospective students and showcase Australia’s strengths in employability. Click here to register for the work readiness course.