Fresh graduates are always full of hopes and expectations about their careers.  But why can’t the best students nail their dream jobs? Lack of experience. If you have searched for a job in Australia, you know how hard it is to even be called for an interview when you have university qualifications but no experience. Even the most brilliant students from the best universities in the country may find it hard to find a position in a corporate organisation. We know it sounds unfair, but experience does count. And here is a reasonable explanation. Work environment has little to do with the atmosphere at university.  A professional attitude is very relevant to any job position and that can be easily acquired through experience. Another point is that someone who has been part of a professional team naturally develops better communication skills, creativity and critical thinking. Three of the essential features employers look for. However, the obvious question is: How can we gain experience if that is required for any position? If you have been looking for a job that may be the feeling. The quick answer is Internships. Internships will open the first door to your dream career. You will be able to develop your skills, put what you have learnt into practice, and gain professional experience and exposure. Several renowned companies are looking for interns in the most diverse areas and fields. That is your chance to work for a big organisation and have the experience that is required for your dream jobs or dream employers. Whether the internship is paid or unpaid the benefits are numerous. Gain visibility, have experienced professionals as your mentors and supervisors, learn a lot from them and give your fresh perspective on their procedures. Your internship experience can be the beginning of a great professional career. You may even be hired by the same company in the future, or at least have them as your referees for future opportunities. That will definitely depend on our performance. So, take this unique opportunity seriously and make the most of it. International students, be prepared! Good communication skills in English are not only appreciated but a minimum requirement. Do your best to improve your oral and written communication skills to take part in an internship program. If you are willing to take this chance and find yourself an internship, we are happy to help! Call us on 02 4626 1002 or send your resume to admin@mckkrs.com.au

The Department of Immigration has informed stakeholders of a change to the policy guidance relating to industry training funds.No Commission can be paid from Training Benchmark A contributions and Training Benchmark A contributions cannot be made to TAFEs and Universities if there is a statutory Industry Training Fund operative   This is due to an audit being conducted by DIBP of known training funds in response to recent allegations of misuse of funds for meeting 457 training benchmark requirements. The concern was that TAFEs  and Universities would be allocating part of the amount spent on contributions to pay commissions to registered migration agents or other institutions for referring clients to them, which clearly goes against the objective of the training fund contributions. This issue of misuse of Training Benchmark A funds was also raised in the October 2014 edition of ME magazine.   The change in the departmental policy has been updated which specifies that: No percentage of a contribution made to either a recognised industry body or a scholarship fund operated by a university or TAFE college, for the purposes of satisfying training benchmark A, may be allocated to a commission.   In the same report in the October edition of ME magazine, I had also raised the issue that Training Benchmark A contributions made to scholarships funds of TAFEs and Universities may be invalid contributions as those contributions can only be made to TAFEs and Universities where a statutory Industry Training Fund is not operative.   The DIBP email dated 19th February 2015 to stakeholders indicates that Training Benchmark A contributions can be made to Statutory Industry Funds only where such Funds are operative. Industry training funds are statutory authorities responsible for providing funding for training of eligible workers in certain industries.  The email from the DIBP states that if there is no statutory industry training fund operating in the same sector as the applicant for approval, for the purposes of meeting training benchmark A, the department will accept evidence of contributions made to: a recognised industry body who provide training opportunities or a recognised scholarship fund operated by an Australian university or TAFE college.   The Department goes on to state that 457 sponsorship applications which do not meet these training benchmark requirements will be refused.   In view of this we would like to inform RMAs that they should ascertain whether an industry training fund is operative or not before they advise their clients to pay Training Benchmark A contributions to the scholarship funds of TAFEs and Universities. Alternatively, RMAs can consider the option of Training Benchmark B if their clients are eligible for Training Benchmark B. If you have any questions or would like to know more, you may write to: support@mealliance.com.au   DIBP also advises that a formal government response to all 22 of the recommendations made by the integrity review is expected to be announced shortly and implementation will begin immediately following this announcement.

  Every person working in Australia is entitled to basic rights and safeguards in the workplace, including minimum pay and conditions. The Fair Work Ombudsman makes sure that these rights are protected and enforced fairly as per Australia’s workplace laws.   Like many international students, you may get a part time or casual job to help pay your living expenses while you study in Australia. It is important that you know your rights in the workplace in order to protect yourself from being exploited. Most international students and their partners are allowed to work limited hours when classes are in session and may qualify as part-time or casual employees.   Part-time employees work regular hours each week, but less than the 38 hours of full-time employees. You generally receive the same benefits as full-time workers, but they are generally calculated on pro-rata basis depending on the number of hours you work.   Casual employees work on an hourly or daily basis and are less likely to have regular or guaranteed hours of work. Casual employees do not get paid sick leave or annual leave, but the rates of pay are usually higher to make up for this.   Overtime is when an employee works extra time. It can include work done: beyond their ordinary hours of work outside the agreed number of hours outside the spread of ordinary hours.   The spread of hours is the times of the day ordinary hours can be worked (eg. between 7am – 7pm).   Your minimum rights and conditions at work may be set by a legal document like an award, an agreement, or a contract of employment. Before you start work it is in your best interests to ask your employer which one applies to you to find out how you are being affected.   If an award or agreement does not apply, all employees in the national workplace relations system receive basic minimum pay, conditions and protections under Commonwealth workplace laws.   If you are asked to sign any type of document agreeing to specific work conditions, make sure you read it very carefully and understand it before signing anything and always keep a copy for your records. You should not feel undue pressure to sign any agreement with an employer, if you do, you contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for advice.   You can read more about your rights and obligations while you work in Australia as well as download theinternational students factsheet at the Fair Work website.

As a young graduate or professional, it’s easy to suffocate in the bubble of conflicting advice. The media feeds us stories of those who found contentment in their dream jobs. There’s the accountant that became a Master Chef, the librarian who became an author, but is ‘following your passion’ the right advice for everyone? Here’s a healthy dose of reality. It’s great to follow your passion, but we do live in the real world and I’m sure you know it’s not all a magic carpet ride. To truly reach your potential, a healthy balance of being a realist and a dream catcher is the best way forward. Ask yourself these questions. Are you good at what you enjoy? Do some soul searching to discover what your strongest, natural skills are. What do your friends say your qualities are? What have you consistently been good at? Once you start identifying these skills, you can explore careers that will allow you to grow and succeed.

In this highly mobile age, globetrotting has become a very popular trend. However before one decides to leave his/her home country, a lot of questions pop in the mind… Will the move involve sacrificing my career?                                Will I be able to handle a new country, new policies and procedures? Will I have access to some expert advice? And the list is never ending… Ages ago, when people used to migrate cities, states or countries things were less complicated or maybe that generation was stronger… more than ready to burn their bridges and wholeheartedly accept whatever risks came their way. Today we entangle ourselves with multiple questions, seek endless advice and involve ourselves in a long debate of whether to move or not to move! It is only natural to feel a little scared, insecure and doubtful when leaving a comfort zone where everything is in its place- the house, the job, the family, the mates! But today these thrill seekers are very lucky to have more guidance than ever before. As a result of these growing individual concerns, organizations have identified a market segment that they can cater to. This is how we see a number of successful migration centres, educational centres, internship and training centres working endlessly to make this transition as smooth as it can be.

What employer does not dream about a highly-qualified committed team? People who can deliver their products or services in the best possible way, who add value to their organisation, who develop their skills and contribute to organisational climate and results. It is known now that this dream team can be part of the reality of many companies all around the globe, as long as these companies invest in their most valuable asset: their people. Corporate Training has always proven to be beneficial to organisations worldwide and there is no doubt about that. The real question lies in why so many employers are reluctant to training their staff or even do not see it as a priority in their organisations. Taking that into account, the Australian Government is encouraging employers to invest in corporate training using it as a requirement for 457 and 186 sponsoring visas. The companies wishing to sponsor an employee will have to meet training benchmarks. Training benchmark A consists of a donation of 2% of their annual payroll to government educational institutions. We, however, help companies meet training benchmark B. What’s training Benchmark B? Employer sponsors in Australia contribute at least 1% of the annual payroll to the provision of training for their employees who are Australian Citizens or permanent residents. Employer sponsors are also committed to maintain this contribution for the term of approval as sponsor. How we help To meet the benchmark, we provide the widest variety of courses and we can help you with the best choice for your organisation. We can provide customised training plans within 2 working days of application. By choosing the correct course to an organisation, meeting training benchmark B will be highly beneficial to the organisation and its staff, developing people’s skills and contributing to a better work environment. Not to mention better results for the company in the long and short run. Our courses are fun and provide practical tools to make people’s work more efficient and pleasant. They benefit both employers and employees, contributing positively to any sort of corporate organisation. For more information on our courses and Training Benchmark B, please visit our website localhost/mckkrs-new/demo2/. To know more about new courses, market trends and visa requirements, like our page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mckkrs-Training and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/McKkrs and we’ll keep you updated. If you are a migration agent, call us to know about the benefits of referring us to your clients looking for training benchmark B (02 4626 1002). We are always happy to help.

Ah, internships. Everyone knows how important they can be at the beginning of anyone’s career. Being an intern is a unique opportunity. It is when students start a long journey towards their dream career and go through a big transformation of thoughts, beliefs, posture and attitudes that are very likely to define the future of their professional lives. This is their opportunity to see years of studies and theories put into practice. This is when they understand what is really like to be an engineer, an accountant, or whatever profession they have chosen. And that is probably when they realise if they have made the right choice. An internship is usually students’ first contact with a work environment, and having a positive experience will be decisive in a promising future. The benefits for students are so numerous and somehow obvious, that it may be hard to realise why a student wouldn’t be interested in going through this experience. Employers however, may find it hard to see the benefits on their side, thinking about the time they have to spare for an intern in the office. What they might fail to realise is that this can be an enriching experience for both the employer and the intern. Who wouldn’t want to have a qualified individual working for you, with fresh knowledge, just waiting for an opportunity to use it? Who wouldn’t want someone who is eager to work and learn everything about your business? Not to mention an intern can be a freshly new perspective over your old processes and procedures and perhaps they can have a better idea for that thing you have always done this way… Besides, college graduates belong to a generation that is very technology savvy and they definitely learn fast! What’s more, what a wonderful experience it is to teach someone how to do something and pass on your knowledge and skills to someone else. The whole process of teaching and explaining will improve your communication skills (something that every professional, despite their experience should work on) and it might make you realise that a few of your processes are idle and perhaps useless. Having an intern will give you the opportunity to rethink your organisation, your routine. It will bring innovative ideas and contribute to a changing work environment. Let’s not even mention here that such employees are of very low cost for the company and might be a good solution for the help you need with the low budget you have. Last but not least, how great would it be for you to contribute positively to someone starting their career? We have all started at some point, and you might remember someone who taught you a lot when you were young and eager to start your professional life. Why can’t you be this someone in someone else’s life? And how great would it be if they left your company praising you and your team and giving the word of mouth marketing we all know is very effective. How great is it to have people wanting to work for you? Or better yet, what if you make your intern an employee and save yourself the time and costs of recruitment, selection, induction and training? What are you waiting for? Become a host company! We can help you put the right people in the right place! Contact us! admin@mckkrs.com.au

We get  a lot of enquiries and there seems to be a lack of clarity as to who should be included in the training under Training Benchmark B – Only Australian workers or both Australian and non-Australian workers? In this regard, we would like to confirm our understanding that any expense incurred by the business on structured training as per the requirements of Training Benchmark B will be counted towards training expenses as long as Australian workers are included in the Provision of Training. This means that under Training Benchmark B, training can be provided to both Australian and non-Australians workers. However, please note that training expenditure will not count towards Training Benchmark B if the training is undertaken ONLY by persons who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents. Therefore, employers must ensure that at least one Australian citizen or permanent resident is included in the training. We hope that clarifies, and let us know if we can help you meet your Training Benchmark B requirements. If you want to be updated on hints and news from McKkr’s Training, follow us on twitter and Like our Facebook Page. support@mckkrs.com.au 02 4626 1002