Turn an ACU degree into a global career

Australia is known as a world-class education destination for international students.

But, while all students want a great education, it’s important to think about where that education will take you. Enrolling in a university with a strong focus on career outcomes can be the difference between getting a degree and getting a degree plus a job.

That’s why the Australian Catholic University (ACU) is a great choice — in the 2022 QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey, our international graduates had an overall employment rate of 77.6%. What’s more, in the 2022 QILT Employer Satisfaction Survey, we were ranked #1 in Australia for graduates’ collaborative skills.

At ACU, we prepare students for career success from the moment they start their studies.

Here’s how.

Work-integrated learning opportunities

Work-integrated learning combines the theory and practice of a subject or discipline. At ACU, we deliver more than 30,000 work-integrated learning opportunities every year, including:

• internships and clinical placements
• industry projects and real-world assessments
• events, networking and professional development opportunities
• international study tours.

Our work-integrated learning placements can also lead to career pathways — international student Ary Wayhudi received a job offer at Blackwater High School after completing a professional placement as part of his ACU Master of Teaching degree.

“The main point of ACU teaching placements is building professional connections. My job offer shows how that awesome connection works,” he says.

A great reputation in industry

ACU is recognised by employers for producing quality graduates — in the 2022 QILT Employer Satisfaction Survey, we were tied at #7 in Australia for overall employer satisfaction, ahead of 34 other universities.

And we have a good reputation within the professions, too: when ACU Social Work student Wendy Lu was looking at health care courses, she did her research to find out what employers were saying about the university.

“I spoke to some of my friends who are nurses. They told me ACU has a good reputation with ACT Health, which is the government-run health care agency here in Canberra, and that ACU students are really good at practical things, not just theory,” she says.

In-demand degrees for in-demand professions

Choosing a degree that responds to existing workforce shortages can be a fast-track to career success. And at ACU, those degrees are among the best of the best — for example, we’re ranked #14 in the world for nursing and within the global top 50 for education.

For student Emily Li, ACU’s rankings and reputation led her to enrol in the ACU Bachelor of Nursing. The degree’s high profile, coupled with Australia’s predicted shortfall of 123,000 nurses by 2030, meant that Emily’s skills and experience were in high demand once she graduated.

“I started working for a nursing agency and then I applied for my current role. It’s not that hard to find a job — Australia needs more nurses,” she says.

Dedicated career support services 

For international students, understanding the norms and expectations of Australian workplaces and learning how to write a job application can be a bit daunting. That’s why our ACU Careers and Employability team provides support and expertise for all ACU students from the day they start their degree until two years after graduation.

This support includes:

• access to job opportunities and careers fairs 
• help with professional application documents
• workshops and professional development opportunities that prepare students for success. 

And it works: when ACU nursing graduate Roneil Bacang reached out for help writing a job application, the advice he received transformed his job search outcomes.

“ACU also taught me how to create a strong resumé to land a role as a new graduate. I applied for lots of nursing programs, including public and private hospitals, using that information,” he says.

“I got several job offers and I finally accepted a graduate role at the Mater Hospital in North Sydney.”

Find out how an ACU degree can prepare you for career success. Talk to our international student support team to find out more.

1. QILT International Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2022
2. QILT Employer Satisfaction Survey, 2022
3. ibid
4. Shanghai Ranking, Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, 2022
5. Australian Primary Care Nurses Association, July 2023

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