Education Abroad provides opportunities for students to learn about and develop critically important skills and competencies for the workplace.  

Experiential learning is inherent in education abroad. From researching programs and completing applications to navigating policies across universities and often complex visa applications, the opportunities for skill and competency development begin even before students leave the country. While abroad, students may have opportunities to engage with content and applied learning experiences that help them prepare for future work in specific fields. In addition, students can develop or improve many skills including their ability to communicate effectively across cultures and, in some cases, languages while adapting to their new cultural and academic environment. Upon return, students regularly self-report that they developed increased confidence, independence, ability to problem solve, ability to adapt, and more.  

Career Readiness Competencies 

Throughout the Education Abroad experience, students can expect to have the opportunity to work on developing their career competencies which can better position them to be competitive applicants in a globalized workplace.  

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) defines career readiness as “a foundation from which to demonstrate requisite core competencies that broadly prepare the college educated for success in the workplace and lifelong career management.” The eight career readiness competencies are:  

• Career & Self-Development: Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization. 
• Communication: Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization. 
• Critical Thinking: Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information. 
• Equity & Inclusion: Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-oppressive practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism and inequity. 
• Leadership: Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals. 
• Professionalism: Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace. 
• Teamwork: Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities. 
• Technology: Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. 

Reprinted courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers 

Each competency can be demonstrated in a variety of ways, and NACE has identified a list of sample behaviors for each competency, available on their website.  

Career Benefits of Education Abroad  

Many studies confirm that education abroad experiences contribute to career readiness. One such national study, conducted by the Institute of International Education (IIE), (2017) investigated the connection between education abroad, career readiness, and career development. The study surveyed over 4,500 study abroad alumni who participated in education abroad between 1999 and 2017 and interviewed a portion of respondents.  

The study’s report concludes that “study abroad contributes to the development of transferrable skills and positive employment gains in different ways depending on program characteristics, study destinations, and the intentionality of students in leveraging study abroad experiences for employment. Most notably, the ability to understand differences between cultures and individuals emerged as a skill that contributes to individuals’ career progression.” 

Key findings of the report include: 

• Education abroad supported participants in significantly developing “intercultural skills, curiosity, flexibility & adaptability, confidence, self-awareness, interpersonal skills, communication, problem solving, language, tolerance for ambiguity, and course or major-related knowledge.”  
• Education abroad can make students aware of different career possibilities and develop confidence to pursue them. 
• More than half of respondents believe that education abroad helped them to land a job offer. Many of those interviewed who did not think their education abroad experience helped them get a job offer did, however, believe that the skills they learned while studying abroad were beneficial to them especially as they entered management-level roles. 
• Different types, lengths, and locations of education abroad programs can contribute to different types of skills and competencies. 

Resources for Students 

Connecting an education abroad experience with the skills and competencies developed and being able to articulate those skills and competencies to future employers is critically important. Upon return from education abroad, there are resources at UVA to help students reflect on and convey the value of their experience to employers and graduate schools. 

Returnee Workshops are practical, interactive workshops focused on helping students reflect on their education abroad experiences and professionally highlight the skills and competencies they’ve developed which can help them stand out as job candidates. 

• Each semester, UVA Education Abroad and the UVA Career Center partner to offer a workshop for education abroad returnees. The workshop helps students identify skills and competencies they developed during their education abroad experience and provides guidance for how students can incorporate their education abroad experiences into their resumes and interviews.  
• Each Fall semester, Ingrid Hakala, Director of UVA Global Internships, offers a returnee workshop specifically for students who participated in UVA Global Internships. Through this workshop, students learn how to articulate the value of their global internship experience in professional contexts and reflect on transferable skills gained or improved through their internships abroad.  

The UVA Career Center offers a wealth of professional development resources for students before and after their education abroad experience. For students looking for more tailed career guidance, the Career Communities provide students the opportunity to connect with industry-specific resources.   

In addition, many UVA Schools also have career-related resources for students:  

• Batten School of Leadership & Public Policy Career Services 
• Center for Engineering Career Development 
• McIntire School of Commerce Career Support 
• School of Architecture Career Development 
• School of Data Science Career Services 
• School of Education and Human Development Career Services 

Student Testimonials 

“Living and studying in London has built my confidence, independence, and appreciation for different cultures. The experience has taught me more than any classroom could, deepening my understanding of the world and my place in it. The skills and knowledge I've gained provide a strong foundation for future endeavors, fostering personal growth and professional development.” – Destiny Jones, UVA in London: Global Internships 

"My education abroad experiences have profoundly shaped my views on public policy and leadership by highlighting the importance of context and cultural sensitivity in decision-making. In Morocco and Jordan, I witnessed how local customs and societal values directly influence effective governance and community engagement. These experiences emphasized the critical role of crafting policies that embrace diverse viewpoints and foster cooperation. Being immersed in a diverse environment helped me to develop strong communication and problem-solving skills as I worked to navigate different cultures and languages. My experiences also greatly boosted my self-confidence as I successfully tackled challenges in unfamiliar environments." - Jillian Manternach, UVA in Morocco: Arabic Language and UVA in Jordan: Cultural Authenticity in a Modern Middle Eastern Society  

“Through my education abroad experiences, I developed greater adaptability, creative problem-solving skills, and a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives. I have the ability to work with people from different backgrounds and navigate unfamiliar environments, which are valuable skills to have in today's increasingly global workforce.” - Alice Vadney, UVA in Oxford and Exchange: University College Dublin 

“During my internship in Buenos Aires ... I experienced profound personal and professional growth. This opportunity broadened my understanding of nonprofit operations and clarified my career aspirations. Because the non-profit sector is so broad, I had never had a concrete idea of how it worked. Through my internship, I learned the day-to-day work of people in non-profits. This opportunity allowed me to see nonprofit work as a viable career opportunity. I also got to see how important the role legal professionals played for nonprofits. This has inspired me to consider law school after graduating and studying some form of non-profit or international law. The range of internships provided by this program is so diverse that everyone will be able to find one that aligns with their interests. This summer I developed professional skills such as research, communication, writing, and organizational abilities. These skills were not only applicable within the specific context of fundraising but also transferable to diverse career settings.” - Sydney Gogia, UVA in Buenos Aires: Global Internships