StudyPerth, established in 1987, has received significant support from the Government of Western Australia and the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science, and Innovation. Their main objective is to ensure a positive experience for international students by celebrating diversity, fostering cultural integration, providing job and career opportunities, and increasing employability outcomes. Recently, the CEO of StudyPerth and the Student Employment and Alumni Partnerships Manager spoke to journalist Haran Vinod about the work they are doing to support international students in navigating the Australian education system and culture.
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How does studying in Perth help international students navigate the Australian educational system and culture?
Derryn: StudyPerth is here to help all international students who’ve decided to make Perth their study destination and their home. We do a lot of work around encouraging international students to make friends, to get an understanding of the Australian lifestyle, and to have some fantastic experiences. We have programs to support students, whether that be accommodation support, legal aid support, or others. And we also do a lot of work to help students get jobs. One of the key things when you’re going overseas is that you want to experience the culture of the country that you’re moving into, and one of the best ways to do that is to get a job while you’re studying. We put a lot of effort into helping students get jobs, which helps them with their English but also gives them cultural experience as well.
What are some of the most popular programs and courses for international students studying in Perth, and why do they choose them?
Derryn: There are many Indian students in particular coming here and studying IT, engineering, business, and management And have a lot of students studying hospitality as well.. India is our biggest market, and the largest number of our students do come from India and so there will be students studying all sorts of things, but those four would probably be the largest numbers.
What are the common challenges that Indian students face when starting in Perth? And how does studying Perth help address those challenges?
Derryn: The biggest challenge is fitting in, wanting to be part of the culture, and getting a job. Where the student goes to study, that’s where they need to talk to the institution if they’re having issues with their studies, loads or anything like that. But what we do is work closely with students to help them integrate into WA. And as I said, one of those areas is getting a job.
.Sonia : Careers Connect is the umbrella program for connecting international students and graduates with employers and increasing employability outcomes. We’ve got a number of different avenues for students to feel supported. These Includes events, activities, alumni profiling, mentoring, resume assistance etc. So we connect our international student community with different employers on topics such as networking, mentoring, business culture, and so forth. and we also do so through our alumni profile. These profiles showcase the career journeys and accomplishments of alumni and the different career paths that they can take is something that international students really like to see.
Can you provide information about scholarship or financial aid opportunities available to international students who wish to study?
Darren: So out of last year’s state budget, there were a large number of scholarships provided. But most scholarships for studying actually come through the institution. So students should really talk to their institutions. And the government did provide some additional scholarships through the universities. But I think more importantly, on Sunday, the premier just announced another set of funding for international students who decide to come to Perth to study. And that is a $1500 grant for any student who starts in a particular semester. So they’ve had three semesters so far, and this is the fourth semester. So next semester is coming, and students apply through the government department and say when they’ve arrived, what they’re studying, and if they’ve met the criteria. They can get a $1500 grant, which the basic idea is for use in accommodation, but you can use it for anything; it’s to help you really get started here in Perth.
What role can international education agencies play in addressing the challenges faced by Indian students in Australia?
Derryn: Most students do come via education agents, and I know that a lot of the agents are very attached to their students; they follow them through their studies and then into their careers. And obviously, many of the agents have migration services as part of their offerings. I think the key thing is making sure that an agent is aware of where the students are
and to study, so one of the things that we do with many of our agents is pre-departure briefings. So when a group of students is looking to come to Perth ahead of a semester, the agents could, for example, pull together those students and do a webinar with us where we can actually talk them through the opportunities around getting jobs.
How is studying in Australia better than in other countries?
Derryn: Australia, we think, has the best educational outcomes. Both Sonia and I were educated in Australia. Obviously, in WA there is a whole range of educational institutions, whether it be schools for primary and high school, English language colleges, vocational colleges, pathway colleges, or universities. So you know, you name it, you can study it here in WA. We are in the same time zone as 60% of the population. We’re not too many hours out of the time zone from India, which means that students who want to talk to their friends and family actually have those connections because they’re not waiting until 24 hours at all, but 12 hours later, to make those calls.. We have a strong economy, which means that students can get part-time jobs while they’re studying. Our Career Connect program helps students get their first foot on their career ladder, which is really, really important.
Sonia: As Derryn has mentioned, there are dedicated resources, which is really to increase employability outcomes for students.
The Job Finder WA program, which is in partnership with SEEK. a leading jobs marketplace allowing employers to advertise opportunities to international students using a specific filter. From a student perspective, they know which employees are open to employing them. The program was launched in February 2024.
