Globalisation has enhanced cross-border employment opportunities, resulting in a more competitive labour market for graduates. In response, the number of students pursuing overseas study as a way of gaining a competitive advantage is increasing. Integral to this pursuit are opportunities for exposure to the host country’s work contexts to gain global work experience and subsequently develop global employability. Despite this, research indicates that international students in several disciplines struggle to secure a placement. This presentation discusses findings from a qualitative study that investigated challenges faced by international students in securing work placements in their host country. Data was gathered from 39 semi-structured interviews with 13 international undergraduate engineering students enrolled in a Western Australian university. The presentation will begin by reporting participating students’ experiences with, and perceptions of, challenges in finding a placement. It will then conclude by discussing strategies for stakeholders (international students, academic institutions, employers, and government agencies) in improving international students’ capacity to secure placements.

1. WAIER Forum 2022

2. Contents
 Research context
 Overview of the study
 Theoretical framework
 Challenges faced by international students
 Concluding remarks
(2)

3. Research Context
 Importance of work-integrated learning (WIL) placements to international
students
 International students struggle to find WIL placements (Jackson, 2017; Vu et al.,
2021).
 National WIL Strategy: ‘Increase opportunities for international students to
participate in WIL’ (Universities Australia et al., 2015, p. 11).
 Engineering degree programs (focus of the study)
o Undergo professional accreditation with Engineers Australia (Engineers
Australia, 2019).
o A graduate condition: 480 hours of exposure to professional engineering
practice (EPEP)
o Students source and complete their own placements.
(2)

4. The current study
 Part of a larger research project
 Research objectives:
o Challenges faced by international students in securing WIL placements (focus of
this presentation)
o International students’ strategies in addressing those challenges
 Participants:
o 13 international undergraduate students from the Faculty of Science and
Engineering at a WA university
o 8 WIL staff (interviewed about how they supported international students in
finding WIL placements)
 Data
o 39, semi-structured interviews with students (three with each student)
o 8, semi-structured interviews with WIL staff

5. Theoretical Framework
3-C Research Framework (Vu et al., 2021)
Transition theory (Schlossberg,1995; Anderson et al., 2011)
A transition is “any event or non-event that results in changed relationships,
routines, assumptions, and roles” (Anderson et al., 2011, p. 39).
Transition framework: Situation, Self, Support, and Strategies (4S)
 Coping assets: when the 4S facilitates a transition
 Coping liability: when the 4S hinders a transition

6. Theoretical Framework (contd.)
Transition framework (4S)
(Anderson et al., 2012, p. 61)
Adapted framework
Coping liability: undesirable aspects of the following
Situation
(What is happening?)
Circumstances (e.g., trigger, timing, control, role)
relating to finding WIL placements
Self
(To whom is it happening?)
Characteristics of international students
(strengths/weaknesses) associated with seeking WIL
placements
Support
(What help is available?)
Support from various sources (e.g., universities, hosts)
Strategies
(How does the person cope?)
How students address challenges.

7. 3-C Research Framework (Vu et al., 2021)
Figure 1. 3-C Model for research on challenges in WIL (Vu et al., 2021, p. 12).
Research procedure
1. Identifying specific challenges (i.e., Challenge)
2. Tracing the sources of these challenges (i.e., Cause – undesirable
aspects of Situation, Self, and Support)
3. Explaining student behaviour (i.e., Consequence)
Cause Challenge Consequence
Barriers to securing,
preparation for,
optimizing, and/or
assessment/reflection of
WIL placements
Situation, Self & Support
Undesirable aspects of
these coping resources
Ineffective Strategies
(By international students)
Leading to poor WIL
performance & outcomes

8. Challenges to International Students in Securing Placements
(Undesirable aspects of Situation, Self, and Support)
Student voice WIL Staff voice
 Employers’ reluctance to engage with
international students
 Uphill competition with domestic
peers
 Cultural and language barriers
 (Agree with students)
 Employers’ preferences and
decisions are beyond the university’s
control.
 Visa-related restrictions are barriers
to international students
SITUATION

9. Challenges to International Students (contd.)
SELF (student)
Student voice WIL Staff voice
 Lack of support networks
 Lack of local work experience
 Lack of self-confidence

10. Challenges to International Students (contd.)
SUPPORT (by uni.)
Student voice WIL Staff voice
 Information and support
needs unmet by the
university
 Ineffective university
support
 Same resources for domestic and international
students
 Complaints about international students’
disengagement with university support
 Difficulties in enhancing employers’ engagement
with international students

11. Summary of Challenges
 Limited placement opportunities
 Uphill competition with domestic peers
Figure 2. Availability and accessibility of
placements for international students.
Discipline-related placement
opportunities (DRPOs)
DRPOs available for international
students
DRPOs attainable for international students
through competition, especially with domestic
peers

12. Concluding Remarks
 University WIL staff face significant difficulties in enhancing employers’
engagement with international students. This highlights the role of government
agencies in supporting universities to encourage/enhance employers’
engagement with international students.
 Students and WIL staff share understanding of Situation and Self (student), but
they differ in perceptions of Support (by the university, here representing by WIL
staff). Further research is needed to establish international students’
experiences with, and perceptions of, university support in securing WIL
placements. Future research could compare students’ and WIL staff
experiences/perspectives.

13. Selected references
Anderson, M., Goodman, J., & Schlossberg, N. K. (2012). Counseling Adults in Transition: Linking Schlossberg's Theory With Practice
in a Diverse World (4 ed.). Springer Publishing Company.
Engineers Australia. (2019). Accreditation Management System. https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/About-Us/Accreditation/AMS-
2019
Ferns, S., Russell, L., & Kay, J. (2016). Enhancing industry engagement with work-integrated learning: Capacity building for industry
partners. Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 17(4), 363-375.
Schlossberg, N. K. (1981). A model for analyzing human adaptation to transition. The counseling psychologist, 9(2), 2-18.
https://doi.org/10.1177/001100008100900202
Vu, T. (2015). Determinants of customer expectations of service: implications for fostering customer satisfaction. International Journal
of Management and Applied Science, 1(4), 146-151. http://ijmas.iraj.in/volume.php?volume_id=134
Vu, T., & Ananthram, S. (2022, April 27-28). Work-integrated learning as a transition: implications for research and practice [Virtual
onference presentation] Work-integrated Learning International Conference (WILNZ) 2022, Auckland University, New Zealand.
Vu, T., Ananthram, S., & Bennett, D. (under review). Agentic workplace learning among international students: implications for
students’ global employability development.
Vu, T., Ananthram, S., & Ferns, S. (under review). International engineering students’ strategies in securing work-integrated learning
placements amid COVID-19: a transition perspective. Higher Education Research & Development.
Vu, T., Bennett, D., & Ananthram, S. (2022). Learning in the workplace: newcomers' information seeking behaviour and implications
for education. Studies in continuing education, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2022.2041593
Vu, T., Ferns, S., & Ananthram, S. (2021). Challenges to international students in work-integrated learning: a scoping review. Higher
Education Research & Development, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2021.1996339

14. THANK YOU!
Acknowledgement: The first presenter is a recipient of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.