Learning and Teaching Performance Fund Project

LEARNING AND TEACHING PERFORMANCE FUND PROJECT

The global student – working internationally

EVENT / ACTIVITY report

SECTION I

1. Title & Date of Event

Will I Stay or Will I Go?

17th September 2008

Murdoch Lecture Theatre UWA

2.  Objectives

The planned outcomes for the “Will I Stay or Will I Go?” seminar were to:

1.  Attract attendance from international students (or domestic students) wishing to work internationally and international students wishing to remain in Australia to work.

2.  Present students with relevant information regarding:

- Work options overseas

- VISA requirements in Australia

- Issues regarding recruitment in Australia

- The importance of the ability to use the English language in a way that enables true

participation in the Australian workplace

- Attributes that increase employability with International companies

- Some cultural differences in work environments

3.  Increase awareness of Career Hub and what it can offer,

4.  Encourage students to login to Going Global on Career Hub

5.  Raise awareness of the Global Student project

3.  Target Group/s

The seminar was specifically targeted at International students although local students, keen to work overseas or in global corporations, were very welcome to attend.
To facilitate the needs of those wanting to remain in Australia to work and those who wanted to work internationally, the seminar was divided into two sections with lunch set as a crossover time to which all were invited.

The morning session for those wanting to work overseas ran for 2 hours.

The afternoon session, for the International students wanting to remain in Australia ran for 3½ hours including a 30 minute break for afternoon tea

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4. Event Description

The seminar was held in the Murdoch Lecture Theatre in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences at UWA and was chosen for its seating capability (approx 230) and the space available on the external verandah to serve lunch in an under covered area.

The seminar included information on how best to prepare for an international job; the importance of alumni and networking; job opportunities in Singapore; practical job searching tips; visa requirements; the importance of English language competence; and tips from recruitment specialists in terms of job hunting.

The seminar was publicised to students in a number of different ways:

- Career Hub : event listing and newsletter to registered students

- e-mails to faculty contacts

- the Careers Centre website

- a mail-out to targeted international students

- through student societies (International Student Service & Singapore Student Society)

- posters and emails at the university residential colleges.

The morning session was aimed at students wishing to return to their countries of origin or other overseas countries to work and the afternoon session was aimed at International students wishing to remain in Australia to work. Lunch was planned as a cross over period so both groups could interact with each other and with presenters. Afternoon tea was scheduled to enable individual contact with presenters.

A pack was created as a handout to reinforce content that was being delivered, to heighten awareness of Career Hub and to facilitate note taking etc. (see contents of pack Appendix 1).

The audio and power point slides were captured on Lectopia. Instructions as to how to access the slides were placed on the Career Centre web page in the Services for Students category.

Participants of the day included:

Les Emery and Helen Morrell – Careers Centre (facilitators)

Karen Abbott and Raymond Maung – Careers Centre

Warren Harding and Melissa Ford - Accenture Ltd Recruitment

Wee Lim Bay and Jancis Tan – Contact Singapore

Su Pittam – Centre for English, Language and Teaching

Meredith Eddington – Alumni UWA

Glen Duval and Robert Bailey – Department of Immigration and Citizenship

Angela Bowden et al – Interstaff International

Alison Hilton – Ultimate Skills (recruiting)

Karly George – Ernst & Young

Stan Rolfe – Sinclair Knight Merz

David Udy – Kelly Scientific Resources

Loretta Ho, George Hlaing, Kamran Ahmed – Panel of past students

Approximately 150 students (over the course of the day’s events)

SECTION II

1. Activities Undertaken & Completed

10.15 - 10.20 / Intro to day’s events / Career Centre Staff
10.20 – 10.30 / Going Home! What needs to be done?
What needs to be considered? / Careers Centre Staff/ Participants
10.30 – 11.15 / How best to prepare for an international job– developing global skills for an international career. / Accenture
11.15 – 11.25 / Making the most of Alumni. / Alumni UWA
11.25 – 12.00 / Job opportunities in Singapore / Contact Singapore
12.00 – 12.15 / Practical tips on finding employment.
Kick starting careers in countries other than Australia. / Careers Centre Staff/participants
12.15 – 1.00 / LUNCH
1.00 - 1.05 / Introduction to the afternoon session. / Careers Centre Staff
1. 05 - .35 / Facts and figures about Visa requirements / Department Immigration & Citizenship
1.35 - 1.45 / Business Culture Differences. / Careers Centre staff
1.45 – 2.30 / Australian business culture - as experienced by past International students currently in the workplace. / Panel of past UWA students.
2.30 – 3.00 / Labour and immigration specialist group. Practical assistance in regards to the application process. / Interstaff International
3.00 – 3.25 / AFTERNOON TEA
3.25 – 3.35 / What are employers looking for in potential employees? / Careers Centre staff/ Participants
3.35 – 3.40 / English language competence.
Becoming ‘a part’ or remaining ‘apart’? / Su Pittams
CELTS
3.40 – 4.40 / Recruitment specialists – tips on getting the job you want. / Sinclair Knight Merz, Ernst & Young, Kelly Scientific Resources, Ultimate Skills.
4.40 – 4.45 / Closing comments / Careers Centre Staff

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2. Event Outcomes

Performance indicators as measured against objectives:

1. The seminar attracted a total of 161 registered students of whom at least 150 attended.

Approximately:

-70 attended the morning session,

-140 attended lunch,

-130 attended the session between lunch and afternoon tea and

-100 attended the session following afternoon tea

2. A variety of presenters were engaged to fulfil the outcomes regarding information.

Evaluation feedback indicates the information was useful and relevant to those attending.

3. Oral feedback after the event suggests that awareness of Career Hub and what it can

offer was heightened. This heightened awareness was evident primarily in the publicity

period prior to the seminar, as seen in the Career Hub statistics for international

students during the following periods before and after the seminar (figures for the same

period in 2007 are shown in brackets):

Dates Registrations Distinct Log-ins

21/8 to 2/9 136 (15) 347 (158)

3/9 to 16/9 76 (13) 358 (123)

17/9* to 30/9 14 (12) 223 (113)

1/10 to 14/10 13 (18) 169 (119)

3. Event Income / Expenditure

Final Report / Amount
INCOME
Seminar Registrations: / $
132 students @ $5 / $660.00
Total Registration Fees / $660.00
TOTAL INCOME / $660.00
EXPENDITURE
Catering
Presenter lunches / $38.00
Post seminar refreshments / $54.36
Ice & cups / $18.55
Post seminar refreshments (Woolworths) / $37.27
Afternoon tea (UWA Guild) / $27.60
Guild Catering / $2,133.60
Student Panel Gifts
Book vouchers (Dymocks) / $100.00
TOTAL EXPENDITURE / $2,409.38
BALANCE / -$1,749.38

SECTION III

1.  Evaluation

Student Feedback

Evaluation sheets were distributed and students encouraged to complete them, both after the morning session and at the conclusion of the event. The evaluation measured the reactions of the participants and asked for comments and suggestions. There were 6 degrees of response for each question asked, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree

In total 55 feedback sheets were returned. 15 were from the morning session only and 40 were from those who attended all day.

Evaluation responses were received across a broad range of discipline groups - Commerce; Economics; Engineering; PhD (Plant Biology, Biochemistry, Forensic science, Humanities); MBA; Master of Business Strategy; Master Microelectronics; E-marketing and Information Management; Maritime Archaeology; Dental Public and Primary health; Exercise Physiology; Science; Computer and Mathematical Sciences; Biomedical Science; Arts; Animal Science; Psychology.

The 49 international students who completed an evaluation form were from a broad range of nationalities - Poland, Zimbabwe, China, USA, India, Taiwan, Kenya, Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Brunei, Maldives, Indonesia, Zambia, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, UAE- Dubai, EU, Japan, Germany, Tanzania

Feedback gathered regarding the overall day was generally very positive. (full details of evaluation feedback are available in Appendix 2).

More than 93% were satisfied with the overall seminar content and presentation. 85.2% of students who filled in the form considered the seminar relevant to their needs.

Percentage of respondents who considered each of the morning session presentations useful was as follows

1. Accenture Ltd (skills required to succeed in an international career) – 83%

2. Contact Singapore – 82%

3. UWA Alumni Office – 87%

4. Practical information about job searching – 90%

Percentage of respondents who considered each of the afternoon session presentations useful was as follows

1. Information about immigration & visa issues – 98-100%

2. Information about the impact of culture – 96%

3. International graduate panel – 98%

4. Information on English language competence – 95%

5. Recruitment specialists panel – 100%

Registration process

Students were requested to come to Student Services reception in order to register and pay $5 regardless of how much of the seminar they were intending to attend. This was to assist with the planning of numbers as it was thought that having paid, students may more likely commit to coming.

The system worked well until the last 48 hours when, in response to a final publicity email, approximately 40 students enrolled on-line. Whilst that was good in terms of numbers for the seminar, all needed responses and most needed clarifying which was very time consuming.

In hindsight payment before the seminar may not have made any real difference, as some of the students who had paid did not attend while others who were not registered actually registered on the morning of the event.

More detailed reflections on the event can be found at \\serv19\support\common\Careers\Global_Student\Seminar_170908\Seminar_Report\Seminar_Agenda&Reflections.doc

2. Recommendations

It is recommended that:

§  A similar seminar is run once a year.

§  Students register via Career Hub and pay a registration fee on the day.

§  A reminder mass email to students is sent out no later than 3 days before the event.

Signed: / Helen Morrell / Date: / 17th November 2008

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APPENDIX 1

Participant pack

Career Centre Pack customised for ‘Will I stay, will I go?’ seminar contained

‘Want to work overseas?’ Career Centre postcard re registering on Going Global at www.careers.uwa.edu.au

‘Real help. Real advice. Real careers’ Career Centre postcard

iHipo postcard (site to find international internship/ kick starting your international career)

‘Careers in Asia’ postcard

Career Mentor Link Brochure

List of Career Library Books available in the Reid library re working overseas.

Muslim visitors Guide to Western Australia (Booklet from Department of Industry and Resources)

West Australian Government Overseas Network. (Booklet from the Department of Industry and Resources)

Handout containing some useful websites for those who want to work internationally, and Career Hub Information – explanation of how to use Career Hub.

Notepad, pen and Career Centre business card holder

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APPENDIX 2

EVALUATION & FEEDBACK SUMMARY

Respondent Demographics
1. No. Evaluations Received : 55
2. Year of Study: / 1st - = 9 / 2nd = 7 / 3rd = 16 / 4th = 5 / PG = 17
3. Nationality: / Australian = 6 / International = 49
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
For each statement tick the box in the column that most closely represents your view
(Figures represent % of respondents) / Strongly Disagree / Disagree / Slightly disagree / Slightly Agree / Agree / Strongly Agree

1. Overall Seminar Content & Presentation (54 evaluations returned)

1.  Material has been presented in an interesting way. / 2 / 4 / 16 / 67 / 11
2.  Material has been presented in sufficient detail. / 2 / 6 / 24 / 55 / 13
3.  Speakers seem to have been well informed on their topics / 2 / 9 / 65 / 24
4.  Speakers seem to have been well prepared. / 4 / 13 / 59 / 24
5.  I have gained a good understanding of key issues & concepts. / 4 / 4 / 28 / 48 / 17
6.  The content of the seminar was relevant to my needs / 4 / 4 / 7 / 27 / 39 / 19
2. Morning Session (46 evaluations returned)
1.  I have a better understanding of the skills required to succeed in an international career / 2 / 6 / 9 / 22 / 48 / 13
2.  Information from Contact Singapore was useful / 6 / 11 / 30 / 46 / 6
3.  Information about Alumni was useful / 2 / 9 / 37 / 41 / 11
4.  Practical information about job searching was useful / 2 / 4 / 4 / 37 / 41 / 11
3. Afternoon Session (40 evaluations returned)
1.  Information about immigration and visa issues was clear / 13 / 60 / 27
2.  My understanding of current policies has increased / 15 / 58 / 27
3.  It was useful to have the both DIAC and an immigration agent available / 2 / 8 / 45 / 45
4.  I have a stronger awareness of the impact of culture on making the transition to a career based in Australia / 2 / 2 / 28 / 55 / 13
5.  It was useful to hear the insights from past International students who have stayed in Australia to work / 2 / 28 / 50 / 20
6.  It was made clear that English competence is highly desirable in the workplace / 5 / 5 / 62 / 28
7.  Information from recruitment specialists in terms of gaining employment in Australia was useful. / 5 / 62 / 33
Your Suggestions
1.  What did you find most valuable in this seminar?
§  Singapore opportunities
§  International student experience
§  Information on Visas
§  Current migration/visa options
§  Migration and Visa Agent
§  The information was relevant and clear.
§  Information on visa and work requirements for international students.
§  Tips for getting a job in Australia – different culture/different value/different interview style