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Study abroad is a top skill for employers seeking workers with a diverse, global background, according to a newly-released report by the IIE titled: Gaining an Employment Edge: Impact of Study Abroad.
Studying aboard can be one of the many qualifications, along with work ethic, course knowledge and adaptability, that can increase employability power. In the study, released at the 2017 IIE Generation Study Abroad Summit, the knowledge from study abroad was found to have led students to jobs. Most importantly, students also gained experiences and know-how that were applied to their career and job performance long-term. While global education systems have evolved and restructured for decades to cater to emerging skills, experiential learning remains crucial in leading students to careers. Study abroad experiences have enhanced not only intercultural and language capabilities, but also student’s curiosity, confidence, self-awareness, and communication sufficiency. Due to the wide range of proficiencies attained from studying abroad, more education systems and students have begun to consider study abroad education as an advantage that will set students apart for future employers.
According to a report from the Global Policy Forum, 51 of the 100 largest economies in the world are global corporations. With the rise in transnational companies, employers have now looked toward hiring people that can contact clients in different time zones and countries and who have global awareness of cultures outside their home country. Of the skills valued in a 21st century workplace, the IIE study determined that students that studied abroad improved intercultural skills by 76% and adaptability by 75%. The results of improved dexterities have translated to more job offers: in the study, 53% of students stated that they believed that study abroad led to a job offer. The majority of the job offers in the survey were in the fields of foreign language, legal studies, and business, with 65% of job offers in the language-based workplace and 57% of jobs offers in the law enforcement or business management industries.
Although study abroad enhanced student’s ability to get a job and perform well, there’s a catch: global experiences and employability only correlated when students applied their abilities and gave specific details on what they learned and how they could apply it to the workplace or field. Because many employers do not specifically look for study abroad in interviews and on student’s resumes, students could gain from abroad education only if they advocated for the abilities acquired to potential employers. At the Gaining an Employment Edge panel discussion at the IIE Study Abroad Summit this month, panelist and director of career services at Worcester Polytechnic Institute Maggie Becker said that students benefited when they interpreted experiences to skills that would render attractive performances in the field. Becker said “It’s all about picking the experiences that are important to you and leveraging that to the employer.” In order to seize employable benefits, students have to describe specific examples and highlight the results to employers.
The advantages of study abroad were also found to be diversified depending on a student’s particular program, area of study, and location. The survey indicated that different programs and experiences reap different advancements. Long-term study abroad contributed to more job offers than short-term programs, with students in long-term programs bringing in 25% more job offers than those who attended short-term programs. In addition to longevity, students with science majors gained different expertise in other fields. The survey determined that students who studied STEM majors boosted more soft skills outside of their major. Students who also integrated themselves in “different” countries with culture and linguistics, produced better career impact and abilities. Even though the majority of students studied in Europe, the students that participated in education in non-familiar environments with organized projects were more likely to develop employable skills. The more structured programs with opportunities to progress language development contributed to students’ overall focus on career prospects. As educational institutions seek to guide students into study abroad opportunities, the ones that substantiated the most results were ones that were culturally different, long-term and focused on learning from new areas of study.
Although study abroad specifically influenced employment, on a greater scale, the impact of global and integrated experiences also strengthened students’ capacity to be a member of the workforce. At the IIE Summit, panelist Marty Tillam, President of Global Career Compass said that a variety of global opportunities, whether they be through government programs or an internship, have continued to supply students with the tools necessary to hold a job position. Tillam said: “Through all of these eras we’ve lived through in higher education, experiential learning remains at the heart of the value to a student, of their undergraduate life.” The need for cultural, hands-on opportunities has become essential for students who strive to contribute to modern industries. Although some students have been able to receive international opportunities and move toward career progress, many students have not sought out global experience. The overwhelming evidence that study abroad leads to better job prosperity is there and educational institutions must support study abroad now more than ever to support a 21st Century workforce.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
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The Nexus of International Experience and Employability
Man wearing futuristic virtual reality glasses .
October 19, 2017
Study abroad is a top skill for employers seeking workers with a diverse, global background, according to a newly-released report by the IIE titled: Gaining an Employment Edge: Impact of Study Abroad.
Studying aboard can be one of the many qualifications, along with work ethic, course knowledge and adaptability, that can increase employability power. In the study, released at the 2017 IIE Generation Study Abroad Summit, the knowledge from study abroad was found to have led students to jobs. Most importantly, students also gained experiences and know-how that were applied to their career and job performance long-term. While global education systems have evolved and restructured for decades to cater to emerging skills, experiential learning remains crucial in leading students to careers. Study abroad experiences have enhanced not only intercultural and language capabilities, but also student’s curiosity, confidence, self-awareness, and communication sufficiency. Due to the wide range of proficiencies attained from studying abroad, more education systems and students have begun to consider study abroad education as an advantage that will set students apart for future employers.
According to a report from the Global Policy Forum, 51 of the 100 largest economies in the world are global corporations. With the rise in transnational companies, employers have now looked toward hiring people that can contact clients in different time zones and countries and who have global awareness of cultures outside their home country. Of the skills valued in a 21st century workplace, the IIE study determined that students that studied abroad improved intercultural skills by 76% and adaptability by 75%. The results of improved dexterities have translated to more job offers: in the study, 53% of students stated that they believed that study abroad led to a job offer. The majority of the job offers in the survey were in the fields of foreign language, legal studies, and business, with 65% of job offers in the language-based workplace and 57% of jobs offers in the law enforcement or business management industries.
Although study abroad enhanced student’s ability to get a job and perform well, there’s a catch: global experiences and employability only correlated when students applied their abilities and gave specific details on what they learned and how they could apply it to the workplace or field. Because many employers do not specifically look for study abroad in interviews and on student’s resumes, students could gain from abroad education only if they advocated for the abilities acquired to potential employers. At the Gaining an Employment Edge panel discussion at the IIE Study Abroad Summit this month, panelist and director of career services at Worcester Polytechnic Institute Maggie Becker said that students benefited when they interpreted experiences to skills that would render attractive performances in the field. Becker said “It’s all about picking the experiences that are important to you and leveraging that to the employer.” In order to seize employable benefits, students have to describe specific examples and highlight the results to employers.
The advantages of study abroad were also found to be diversified depending on a student’s particular program, area of study, and location. The survey indicated that different programs and experiences reap different advancements. Long-term study abroad contributed to more job offers than short-term programs, with students in long-term programs bringing in 25% more job offers than those who attended short-term programs. In addition to longevity, students with science majors gained different expertise in other fields. The survey determined that students who studied STEM majors boosted more soft skills outside of their major. Students who also integrated themselves in “different” countries with culture and linguistics, produced better career impact and abilities. Even though the majority of students studied in Europe, the students that participated in education in non-familiar environments with organized projects were more likely to develop employable skills. The more structured programs with opportunities to progress language development contributed to students’ overall focus on career prospects. As educational institutions seek to guide students into study abroad opportunities, the ones that substantiated the most results were ones that were culturally different, long-term and focused on learning from new areas of study.
Although study abroad specifically influenced employment, on a greater scale, the impact of global and integrated experiences also strengthened students’ capacity to be a member of the workforce. At the IIE Summit, panelist Marty Tillam, President of Global Career Compass said that a variety of global opportunities, whether they be through government programs or an internship, have continued to supply students with the tools necessary to hold a job position. Tillam said: “Through all of these eras we’ve lived through in higher education, experiential learning remains at the heart of the value to a student, of their undergraduate life.” The need for cultural, hands-on opportunities has become essential for students who strive to contribute to modern industries. Although some students have been able to receive international opportunities and move toward career progress, many students have not sought out global experience. The overwhelming evidence that study abroad leads to better job prosperity is there and educational institutions must support study abroad now more than ever to support a 21st Century workforce.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
