Dimensions of International Student Critical Employability

This chapter explores the variations in employability concepts as applied to international students. It highlights the fact that international students are a diverse population with different mobility experiences and employability outcomes. It also sheds light on the fact that students from the same country may not have a common study abroad or employability experience. The intersectionality of students, including factors such as age, class, race, ethnicity, and gender, contributes to the variability of their experiences. Additionally, it critiques traditional employability theories, which are framed within the Global North lens and influenced by a market-oriented approach, and introduces the concept of critical employability, which prioritizes diversity and equity in higher education and employability. Focusing on critical employability for students is important because colonialism, in its various forms, influences student development of self and affects how a student develops and uses their agency to understand employability pathways.