Thinking about whether you should study hospitality in Australia? As an international student, there are great reasons to consider it. Whether your future is in event planning, food, or travel, Australian academic institutions offer a wide range of courses. You’ll study with well-respected instructors and often, be steps away from some of the world’s top attractions. Plus, many of Australia’s cities are ranked among the best in the world. Where better to start—or boost—your hospitality career than in Australia?
After you finish your course, you may be eligible to stay and work in Australia through their Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485).
Still considering your study choices? Take a closer look at why a future in hospitality might be right for you.
Prepare For Success
Australian tertiary education providers teach many different hospitality courses. To match up with courses that fit your goals, keep these factors in mind:
Your Career Path
Courses range from a general focus to specializing in one field.
- A bachelor’s degree like one in tourism, hospitality, and events is a great place to start.
- Building up your career? A master’s of business administration (MBA) in international tourism and hospitality management could offer the leadership and strategic skills you’ll need.
- If you want to hone practical skills, look for courses like hospitality management – patisserie or commercial cookery and hospitality management.
Work-Integrated Learning Opportunities
Courses that offer internships, fieldwork, or other work-integrated learning opportunities may be longer. However, for many students, their benefits outweigh the extra time.
Doing an internship can have lots of perks, including:
- Gaining work experience in your field
- Potentially earning a salary
- Meeting other professionals who can become mentors or employers
Also, if you’re early in your career, internships can teach you what you are—and what you are not—looking for in a job.
As you explore different courses, look at sites like Glassdoor to see if employers you’d like to work for have strong internship relationships with certain colleges or universities.
Tip: Looking for more resources on work-integrated learning in Australia? Check out WIL to Work. It’s a project supported by Australia’s Department of Education and Training with online training and resources to help international students get ready for work-integrated learning (WIL).
Studying in Large or Small Communities
The pull of a large city is undeniable for some students, and Australia’s cities are some of the best. Whether you learn winemaking in southern Australia and enjoy Adelaide’s festival scene, or boost your hotel management skills in Brisbane while surfing and climbing in your off-hours, there’s a city to suit every kind of international student.
On the other hand, from adventure guiding to resort management, several hospitality jobs are outside big cities. Institutions in smaller communities are likely to connect students with related mentorships or placements, as they’ll be closer to those businesses. Plus, smaller towns are less expensive; cities like Perth have a cost of living that’s 20% lower than Sydney’s.
The more you know about your future community and what it offers, the more ready you’ll be to act on those things when you move. You may not learn everything at once, but it’s good to have a basic understanding of major industries and what the place itself is like.
Plus, this knowledge can help you ace your Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) assessment for your student visa. You’ll be able to show genuine interest in your new home, which can put you a step ahead of other students.
Where should you study in Australia? Find your match on our blog.
Join a Booming Industry
The knowledge you’ll build while studying hospitality in Australia can prepare you for an exciting career. With Australian job vacancies rising 30% year-over-year as of May 2022, and one in four businesses reporting a need for workers, international students like you are an important part of filling those roles.
Many hospitality fields are expected to grow by 2026. The Australian Government’s labour market insights project job numbers to climb:
- 27.3% for cafe and restaurant managers
- 23.9% for travel attendants
- 13.9% for chefs
- 10.7% for event and conference organizers
Hotel and motel management will grow more slowly, at 2.2%.
No matter which field you choose, being an international student is a kind of superpower. By choosing to study hospitality in Australia, you’ll learn about Australian culture, while also knowing your home country’s culture. So, when you work with guests, you can treat them with empathy because you understand how culture shock feels. Maybe, also share some of the strategies you’ve learned along the way!
Hopefully this guide on why you should study hospitality in Australia is helpful. It’s a great time to join a field that is in high demand. Plus, your work will give you tons of opportunities and help you build transferable skills.
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