Employment Experiences of International Education Graduates: A Prestigious Diploma Does Not Guarantee Success

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Global Conceptions of the Quality and Value of College (Table 14)

Abstract

This paper explores the employment experiences of international education alumni of two Kazakhstani government scholarships. The analysis draws on qualitative data obtained through individual interviews with 50 scholarship alumni in fields of social science. The findings indicate that both groups of alumni perceive international education as highly beneficial for their professional development and career advancement. However rigid and bureaucratic workplace culture and business norms, economic and labour market instability, and lack of work experience were found to hinder alumni’s transition from education to employment. The study contributes to the global discussion on international education graduates’ employment and provide insights into mechanism that can better support the employment of scholarship alumni.

Authors

• Dilrabo Jonbekova, Nazarbayev University

• Yevgeniya Serkova, Nazarbayev University