As an international student preparing to enter the workforce, you might be wondering which skills will help you stand out from other graduates – and where the biggest career opportunities might be.
The Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) is a major annual event bringing together experts from across Australia's international education sector. Educators, policymakers, researchers and industry representatives come together to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of international education.
We spoke to two industry experts about the emerging industries creating exciting new opportunities and how international students can prepare for their future careers.
Meet the experts
Dr Peter Turner is the Director of the Sydney Quantum Academy (SQA), a partnership between four leading universities supporting education, research and workforce development in quantum technology.
As a physicist and quantum information theorist, he has spent the last 20 years watching quantum information science grow and helping train the next generation of experts.
“I'm an academic,” he says, “but more than 10 years ago, I was in the UK where they identified quantum tech as a growth industry early on, and started producing dedicated training programs at graduate level and PhD-level training programs in the field. We were one of the first to put one of those programs together.”
Toshi Kawaguchi is the Director of Priority Sector and Skills at Investment NSW. His work focuses on the skills and industries shaping New South Wales (NSW), including technology, engineering, health, energy and manufacturing.
“Choosing NSW can put you close to clusters where universities, researchers, entrepreneurs and major employers are working on real-world problems,” he says.
Finding opportunities in NSW's technology sector
For international students hoping to build a career in technology, where you choose to study can be just as important as what you study.
Kawaguchi says one of NSW's biggest strengths is the concentration of universities, researchers and businesses within its innovation precincts.
“For international students, that means the opportunity is not simply about what you study, but the ecosystem you are studying in,” he says.
Tech Central is one example, bringing together technology companies such as Canva and Block, startups, four universities and around 150 research institutes.
The Macquarie Park Innovation District offers another example, connecting education with more than 300 major global businesses.
Meanwhile, Westmead Innovation Quarter is a hub for health and medical research, spanning areas including brain science, biomedical technologies, diagnostics, therapeutics and chronic disease.
“That's the opportunity I would encourage international students to think about,” Kawaguchi says.
Of course, building a successful career takes more than simply being in the right place. Kawaguchi encourages students to actively seek practical experience and build professional relationships throughout their studies.
“Take advantage of work-integrated learning, internships, placements, industry projects and research collaborations wherever these are available,” he says.
He also advises students to “Build relationships, not just a CV,” by attending industry events, joining professional associations, connecting with alumni and speaking to employers.
Become part of the future of technology
Much like the recent rise of artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology is a rapidly developing field with the potential to transform a wide range of industries and aspects of everyday life.
But Dr Turner believes quantum technology's long-term possibilities could be even greater than AI's.
“Artificial intelligence is what we would call a classical information technology. There's nothing really new there, but quantum tech is a fundamentally different way of processing information,” he says.
“What quantum information technology [is] going to do for the next 100 years, the potential is pretty hard to overestimate, I think.”
For students interested in quantum science, there are opportunities to get involved while studying.
“At the SQA we give out scholarships. I think 70% are international,” says Dr Turner.
He encourages students interested in the field to explore opportunities, even if they aren't studying physics.
“Quantum tech is obviously physics, but [also] computer science, mathematics, engineering, any information technology, as it gets more and more applications [and] as the technology matures, you know we need biologists and chemists, and then even logistics people and whatnot. We need experts from other fields to come in and engage,” he says.
In other words, you don't necessarily need to be a physicist to contribute to the future of quantum technology. Skills from a wide range of disciplines could become increasingly valuable as the industry develops.
The importance of being multi-skilled
Technical knowledge may help you access these opportunities, but the ability to work effectively with others can be just as important for long-term career success.
Kawaguchi emphasises that strong communication skills are essential in the technology industry.
“Being able to explain a complex idea clearly to a colleague, customer or manager can be every bit as important as the underlying technical expertise,” he says.
Teamwork is equally important, particularly in industries where people from different professional, cultural and academic backgrounds work together to solve complex problems.
Similarly, Dr Turner explains that while advanced research and problem-solving skills are vital, some of the most valuable professional skills aren't always taught in the classroom.
“Things that, speaking as a PhD physicist from 20 years ago, I certainly never got trained in and probably had never heard about, like project management. You need to be able to get in, be useful, and then if and when you leave, the people need to be able to carry on with the project,” he says.
For international students, this means looking beyond formal qualifications to develop communication, project management, collaboration and digital skills.
Whether you're interested in quantum technology, engineering, health or another emerging industry, the message from both experts is clear: start building your skills and professional connections while you're still studying.
Look for opportunities to gain practical experience, meet people in your chosen industry and explore how your knowledge could be applied in different fields. These experiences can help you prepare for the opportunities ahead, wherever your career takes you.
