How do Chinese international business students develop bridging social capital in Australia to improve their self-perception of their employability?

How do Chinese international business students develop bridging social capital in Australia to improve their self-perception of their employability?

Immediately prior to the COVID-19 pandemic international education contributed over $37 billion to the Australian economy. Most students came from China and chose an Australian education because they expected it would improve their career prospects. However, evidence shows that even prior to COVID-19, international students were struggling to find opportunities to develop their employability, leading to dissatisfaction with their investment. Australia’s third largest export industry may be at risk unless the problem of international student employability is addressed. Social capital is a key factor of employability, however international students are stripped of their social capital as soon as they arrive in Australia, instantly compromising their employability. The purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges that six international Chinese business students at the University of Sydney experienced as they rebuilt their social capital in Australia, and how they overcame those challenges to improve their self-perception of their employability. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used as the methodological approach as it allowed an in-depth exploration and interpretation of the meaning that the participants made of those experiences. The research found the challenges were a result of the tensions between the cultural expectations of Australians and the participants’ Confucian heritage upbringing. The participants were able to navigate these tensions by having a growth mindset—they reframed challenges as learning opportunities. This enabled them to develop their bridging social capital, improve their employability and achieve their goal of finding work in Australia.

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