Australia: Work experience

Work placements and internships

There are several work placement and exchange programmes operating in Australia. Organisations usually help with visa arrangements, transfers from the airport, accommodation for the first few nights and finding you work. These schemes may make a charge but often provide an instant network of fellow visitors/travellers. Examples include:

• Aide Abroad  - international internships.
• AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales)  - opportunities to work abroad for all students and recent graduates of higher education institutions.
• Australian Internships  - information and assistance to overseas students and recent graduates seeking internships.
• BUNAC  - work while abroad scheme.
• HospitalityInternship.com  - paid hospitality and hotel jobs.
• Intern Options - Australia  - work placements and internships.
• Professional Pathways  - professional and gap year internships.
• TourismInternship.com  - paid tourism placements.
• Travellers Worldwide  - range of work experience internships.

Exchange programmes

IAESTE (The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience)  provides science, engineering and applied arts undergraduates with the opportunity to partake in exchange programmes. These typically last up to 12 weeks during the summer.

Teaching schemes

If you have a Bachelors degree and the relevant visa, you may be eligible to apply for the Teach for Australia  graduate programme. It is a government initiative addressing educational disadvantage in challenging schools in Australia and is affiliated to Teach First  in the UK.

The International Teaching Fellowship  is an exchange programme between Victoria state teachers and international teachers, while the Department of Education - Teacher Exchange  is the programme between Western Australian teachers and international teachers. Information on an exchange with Northern Territory teachers can be found at Department of Education and Training - Exchange programs and Queensland teachers at Department of Education and Training - Teacher Exchange Program . Teachers exchange places for an academic year, beginning January or July.

Teach Aussie  is a scheme for international teachers with Working Holiday visas to teach in New South Wales.

Volunteering

Organisations with voluntary work projects include:

• Conservation Volunteers Australia  - conservation opportunities;
• Global Vision International (GVI) - international volunteering opportunities;
• Seek Volunteer  - database of volunteer organisations;
• Travellers Worldwide  - a range of volunteer options;
• WorldWide Volunteering (WWV)  - volunteering opportunities.

Casual work and short-term opportunities

If you are on a Working Holiday visa, you will be interested in finding short-term, casual positions to fund your travels. Some job search websites advertise casual positions, in particular Seek , Careerone  and JobSearch - Australia , or for more support while in Australia and help finding casual work try sites such as Work n Holiday .

You may be able to find casual work for certain occupations including retail, hospitality, labouring, tourism and fruit picking by targeting particular companies, farms or outlets and going in person and handing over your résumé. Keep an eye out for advertisements in shop windows and on community, café or backpacker hostel notice boards.

Gap year opportunities

Organisations with gap year opportunities include:

• Changing Worlds  - paid and voluntary placements;
• Ozintro  - work and travel in Australia;
• Real Gap Experience  - includes a large number of sports projects and travel;
• The Career Break Site  - opportunities to work, study or volunteer abroad.