about VicWISE
VicWISE is a non-government organisation (NGO) that champions the employability and career development of international students and graduates through advocacy, collaboration, support and promotion with professional members, industry partners, student associations and institutes of higher education.
Vision
The Working Group on International Student Employability (VicWISE) is a unified voice of international education professionals who are passionate about championing employability and career development opportunities for international students and graduates through networking, influencing, promoting and advocating.
Mission
To help international students and graduates unlock opportunities for employment by establishing a platform for cross-collaboration and connections with industry partners and institutes of higher education.
Our Values
PROMOTION
We connect potential employers with the international student and graduate community
ADVOCACY
We champion the cultural, diplomatic and economic benefits that international students and graduates offer to employers
SUPPORT
We provide insights and expertise for international students and graduates to navigate the local employment market with ease
COLLABORATION
We join forces with industry professionals, government agencies and institutions of higher education to raise the profile of international students and graduates
Meet our executive members
Liam Byrne
Director, Strategy & Growth (Sales & Customer Experience)
Email:
liam.byrne@vicwise.org
About Us
VicWISE, or the Victorian Working Group on International Student Employability was founded in 2016 as a working group with 12 members, with a mission to empower international students to achieve their career goals through advocacy, collaboration, support, and promotion. We believe that every student, regardless of their cultural background, should have equal opportunities to succeed in the workforce.
Since our inception, we have grown organically, with our professional membership steadily increasing, and the introduction of international student interns to support our NGO. We are proud to have successfully received a grant through the “International Student Welfare Program” from Study Melbourne in 2018, which enabled us to host four networking events comprising over 400+ professionals, employers, and student graduates, culminating in a ground-breaking meeting with the Founder & CEO of Drake International, Bill Pollock, attending as the chief guest.
In May 2019, we registered as a non-government organization (NGO), VicWISE Inc, and received an ABN 57 910 163 077. We elected an executive board every two years under the new NGO structure and approved a new logo and introduction of membership fees. Our professional membership grew from 54 to 96 members, and we established a volunteer team of 85 international students to support our NGO.
In 2020, when the pandemic hit and borders closed, we had to move into the digital world to stay connected. We responded to the immediate needs of international students who were facing traumatic circumstances in their lives, such as job losses, financial and food hardships, homelessness, domestic violence and emotional well-being issues. We had to find new ways to connect and support students and professionals, and despite losing many professional members due to job losses, we rebuilt our membership base and expanded our services in 2022.
Today, in 2023 we have a thriving community of over 186 new professionals participating in our bi-weekly networking breakfast events. We have provided comprehensive wrap-around services during the pandemic, supporting more than 5,435 students, and this service continues post-COVID-19.
Our focus now is on upskilling our volunteers and student members, ensuring they are relevant and future-ready for the hybrid world to enable them to engage with industry partners and communities. However, our mission remains the same, to empower international students to achieve their career goals and pathways through advocacy, collaboration, support, and promotion. To create a one-stop-shop ecosystem that has the ability to adapt to changing needs, circumstances that provides comprehensive support to the international student sector.
We are proud of what we have achieved over the past seven years, and we are committed to continuing to help thousands of students in pastoral care to navigate the complex job market to achieve their career pathways. Our successes have been made possible through compassion, collaboration, and strong working relationships with our 45 partners.
Thank you for visiting our website, and we hope that you will join us in supporting the empowerment of international students / graduates in Victoria.