Background and angle
Australia’s media industry is booming with the digital age. Consequently, a large number of students choose to pursue media and communications degrees at various Australian universities and colleges. However, many students find their media dreams dashed after graduation, especially international students. After graduation, most students choose to submit their CVs to local media companies but then find that they are unable to gain entry into the industry or even access to training opportunities at all. Some online media videos like YouTube reflect this phenomenon.
This report will investigate the barriers faced by international graduates when entering the Australian media labour market and explore how education, migration, and industry practice can combine to produce employment exclusion and stress.
preferred online publication: ABC News
Target Audience: International students, educators, policymakers, and media industry stakeholders.
Key Challenges
International media graduates in Australia often encounter multiple challenges when entering the workforce. One of the most pressing challenges is extending the visa limitation and securing employment in a competitive job market. Many of these graduates struggle to gain work experience during their studies. After graduation, visa limitations restrict their possibility for full-time jobs, making the transition into the industry even more difficult (Gribble et al., 2016).
Further compounding these problems is the lack of established professional networks. Unlike domestic students who may have existing industry contacts or access to local internships, international students often try to build their careers from the ground up. Without strong mentorship or insider knowledge, securing entry-level positions or even internships becomes a difficult task.
Although initiatives like ABC’s Upstart Entry Level Programs aim to provide opportunities for emerging talent, many international students remain unaware of such programs or find them inaccessible. The availability and promotion of institutional support varies significantly across universities, and international students may not always receive tailored career guidance that addresses their unique circumstances.
I will be showcasing real-life experiences in connection with a Reddit discussion on why it is so hard for international students to get a job in Australia.
Potential Interviewees
To illustrate this effectively, the project will interview recent international media graduates who can share their first-hand experiences of trying to find work after completing their studies. University careers consultants will also be contacted to provide perspectives on the support structures available to international students, while media professionals will provide insights into industry recruitment practices and the importance of fostering a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
Multimedia and Interactive Elements
Multimedia elements will be used to enhance the report’s engagement and clarity. These include videos from Instagram and YouTube that reflect the international student experience, as well as infographics that present recent data on employment rates among international graduates. To foster interactivity, the report will provide a short poll or comment section where readers can share their own experiences or suggestions for how to improve access to media careers in Australia.
Conclusion
By drawing attention to the challenges faced by international media graduate students, this proposal aims to explore possible solutions as well as gain broad public attention. It aligns with ABC News’ commitment to comprehensive and inclusive reporting, giving readers an understanding of the issues affecting a large proportion of Australia’s media student community.
References
Anshul in Adelaide. (2025, March 11). Reality of Full-Time jobs for international students in Australia | My current job situation [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAPDkeP5bXs
Anshul in Adelaide. (2025, March 11). Reality of Full-Time jobs for international students in Australia | My current job situation [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAPDkeP5bXs
Gribble, C., Rahimi, M., & Blackmore, J. (2016). International Students and Post-Study employment: The impact of university and host community engagement on the employment outcomes of international students in Australia. In Cultural studies and transdisciplinarity in education (pp. 15–39). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2601-0_2
Sparsh. (2021). Is finding work as an international student really as impossible as it seems? : r/AskAnAustralian. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskAnAustralian/comments/px0hxe/is_finding_work_as_an_international_student/
Upstart Entry level Programs – ABC Careers. (n.d.). ABC Careers. https://www.abc.net.au/careers/upstart-entry-level-programs
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