If you’re thinking about studying in Canberra, now is a great time to do it!
From hosting the Hollywood elite to being at the cornerstone of space exploration, many of the city’s key industries are booming, and their futures are looking incredibly bright, so there are loads of exciting career opportunities for international students.
Home to world-class education institutions, Canberra is a great place to start or continue your Australian study journey, whatever your passion may be.
Read on to find out more about some of Canberra’s most exciting industries and opportunities.
Screen and film
If you love all things cinema, the good news is that the film and television industry is more popular than ever in Canberra. One reason for this is the abundance of beautiful natural landscapes and architecture in Canberra and the surrounding region, which makes for diverse sets. Canberra also hosts a range of excellent film festivals.
A career in film might involve screenwriting, producing, directing, video editing, special effects and much, much more!
Screen and film courses in Canberra include:
Bachelor of Film Production (University of Canberra [UC])
Diploma of Screen and Media (Canberra Institute of Technology [CIT])
Screen Studies major (Australian National University [ANU])
Filmmaking courses (The Academy of Interactive Entertainment [AIE])
Renewables
Canberra is an ambitiously green city with a booming renewable energy industry. In fact, the ACT is now leading Australia in renewable energy – it’s powered by 100% renewable energy!
For this reason, it’s the perfect location for a career relating to renewable energy, sustainability, the environment or climate change if you want to make a difference to the Australian environment. Or, consider a trade. With the rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) worldwide (21.9% of all new cars sold in the ACT are EVs!), Australia has established a national network of education providers who are focused on growing the number of skilled workers to meet future demands.
Or, think bigger! You could impact the global environment and help save the planet! As public awareness of climate change increases, the industry is only going to grow further.
A career in this industry might involve environmental science, engineering, project management, policy, research, and electrical trades.
Courses relating to the climate and environment in Canberra include:
Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) (UC)
Climate Science Major (ANU)
Master of Climate Change (ANU)
Energy and Renewable Energy Systems Major (ANU)
Certificate III in Automotive Electric Vehicle Technology (Light Vehicle) (CIT)
Courses at the Renewable Energy Skills Training Centre (CIT)
Information Technology
Canberra is one of Australia’s leading hubs for digital technologies. As the city is home to the Australian Government, and state-of-the-art digital services are integral to a modern government, Canberra is the perfect location for information technology (IT) providers. Plus, the Australian Government spends billions of dollars on digital technology services each year, so you can expect great future prospects.
The IT sector in Canberra comprises more than 1,000 businesses across cybersecurity, cloud computing, research and development, and in fields like energy management and automotive. World-leading IT firms like IBM, Microsoft and Accenture all have major operations set up in Canberra, too, which means exciting graduate opportunities could be available.
Some examples of courses leading to a career in IT in Canberra include:
Bachelor of Computing (ANU)
Diploma of Information Technology (UC)
Diploma of Information Technology (Canberra Institute of Technology [CIT])
Bachelor of Software Engineering (UC)
Bachelor of Cyber Security (UNSW Canberra)
Cyber Security Major (ANU)
Certificate IV in Cyber Security (Canberra Institute of Technology [CIT])
Tourism
The tourism industry in Canberra is absolutely flourishing. In 2024, 5.2 million people visited the ACT, and they spent $3.7 billion while they were there! With its status as Australia’s capital city, the fact that it’s the home of Australian politics, and the many attractions such as galleries, museums, festivals and more, travellers are flocking to the city. What better place to study tourism?
A career in tourism might involve hospitality and customer service, event planning and management, travel writing, ecotourism, marketing and public relations, and managing venues of various kinds.
Tourism courses in Canberra include:
Diploma of Travel and Tourism Management (CIT)
Bachelor of Event and Tourism Management (UC)
Master of Heritage Tourism Management (ANU)
Space
Have you always dreamed about assisting humankind to travel through space? Canberra is home to Australia’s leading space-related infrastructure.
The city boasts world-leading space manufacturing and testing facilities, as well as communications, observation and research infrastructure. For example, the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA) at ANU, an institution dedicated to advancing astronomy and astrophysics, is home to Australia’s largest optical observatory. This means there are jobs for scientists, engineers, communications experts and software experts.
Relevant courses in Canberra include:
Major in Astronomy & Astrophysics (ANU)
Master of Science in Astronomy & Astrophysics (ANU)
Graduate Certificate in Space Operations (UNSW Canberra)
Master of Space Operations (UNSW Canberra)
Agri-technology
Agricultural science and technology is another growth industry in Canberra. Canberra-based institutions such as ANU, UC and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have been pioneering world-leading research in the sector for many years.
A career in this ever-growing sector might involve research about crops, plant biology, agriculture and agricultural systems, plant genetics, ecology and the environment.
Canberra courses relating to agricultural technology and science include:
Bachelor of Environmental Science (UC)
Bachelor of Science (UC)
Environmental Science major (ANU)
Bachelor of Environment and Sustainability (ANU)
Certificate III in Conservation and Ecosystem Management (CIT)
So, what should I study?
With so many course options available in Canberra, you’ll easily find something that allows you to follow your passions. Visit the Study Canberra website to explore your options, and research life in the ACT as an international student.
