How overseas placements shape student employability

New research from the University of Bradford explores how overseas placements through the Turing Scheme enhance students' skills, confidence, and career prospects

This report, funded by the Jisc careers research grant, looks at how overseas experiences help students stand out in job applications and interviews by enhancing their employability through the skills gained abroad.

Key findings

• The three main factors influencing students' decisions to take part in overseas placements are the desire to gain knowledge of another country, experience different working practices, and enhance their future employability.
• Out of ten, students scored an average of eight for satisfaction with the overseas placement, and the majority of students are likely to recommend this or similar opportunities to other students. Following the experience, a significant number of students intend to participate in other international opportunities.
• The top three skills acquired/developed: value diversity and different cultures; networking with new people; and finding solutions in difficult or challenging contexts.
• Students confirmed that overseas placement improved their skills, their capacity to deal with complex and unexpected situations, and made them more confident and open-minded.
• Following the overseas placement experience, students said that they have a clearer understanding of their professional career aspirations and goals. They also believe that the overseas placement re-shaped their future work perception.
• The benefits of an overseas placement such as learning teamwork, networking with other people, boosting your CV content, being exposed to different cultures, are positively topped up with expected personal gains, building one’s career, making new memories, and gaining new skills. Nevertheless, students also identify contrasting obstacles such as language barriers, trouble navigating new spaces, racism and loneliness.
• The top four skills acquired/developed during the overseas placement were problem-solving and flexibility; creativity and adaptability; equality, diversity, and inclusion; and prioritise, eliminate and reorganise. Upon reflection, students were able to provide practical situations to exemplify the use of the identified skills acquired/developed during the overseas placement.
• Students expressed that their employability prospects have increased due to an overseas placement experience, due to skill acquisition and development. Students are motivated to use the overseas placement situations and examples on job-hunting, interviews, and when in contact with prospective employers.

About the report

This report evaluates the University of Bradford's engagement with the UK government's Turing Scheme between 2021 and 2024. The scheme supports international placements for students, aiming to enhance employability, global awareness, and academic development.

The study draws on quantitative data from 640 student surveys and qualitative insights from 28 in-depth interviews. It also aligns with the university's strategic frameworks, including the Access and Participation Plan (APP) and the Graduate Skills Framework.

This research was funded by the Jisc careers research grant. If you're a careers professional planning to undertake research, you may be eligible for funding of up to £5,000.

You can get in touch with Carlos at csantose@bradford.ac.uk for more information about this research.

Written by

Carlos Santos e Sousa

International opportunities and exchange partnerships manager

University of Bradford