The Professional Year in Engineering program prepares migrant engineers for the Australian workforce while also addressing the demand for skills. It’s a win-win, insiders say.
Before commencing his industry placement as part of the Professional Year in Engineering (PY) program, Hanrui Gao felt “very insecure”.
“I was already older than many other students, and had very little engineering work experience,” Gao, originally from China, told create.
He worried he would let his team down during his internship at HelloFresh Australia, but those fears faded quickly.
“My colleagues and supervisor were incredibly patient with me, teaching me everything – from theory to using a basic electric drill – until I truly understood.”
As Gao completed all his maintenance tasks, his confidence soared.
“The process truly transformed me and I realised that no problem is impossible to overcome. This internship completely changed how I see myself.”
Engineers Australia research shows migrant engineers such as Gao face major barriers entering the Australian workforce: poor knowledge of local job markets and limited networks – obstacles the PY program directly addresses.
Engineers Australia began the PY program in 2009 to equip international graduates with vocational knowledge, technical skills and English language proficiency to compete in Australia’s engineering sector. So far, more than 2000 graduates have benefited.
“The Professional Year in Engineering program is more than a course – it’s a structured pathway from study to employment,” explains Roslyn Tilley, Engineers Australia’s Workforce Skills Program Manager.
“This hands-on experience helps participants integrate into Australian workplaces, develop confidence in their professional abilities, establish a local employment record, and build a local professional network – further enhancing their employability and workforce readiness.”
Addressing the demand for skills
The demand for skills persists across multiple engineering fields, with engineering roles featuring prominently on Jobs and Skills Australia’s 2024 Occupation Shortage List.
Engineers Australia reports more than 15 key engineering occupations in national shortage, including aeronautical, biomedical, electrical, environmental, geotechnical, marine, mining, petroleum and water engineering.
Australia relies on migrant engineers to sustain talent supply, with 60 per cent of its engineers are overseas-born. Engineers Australia estimates we’ll need at least 60,000 more engineering graduates over the coming years to meet our national ambitions, from clean energy and housing to defence and decarbonisation.
The PY program supports the Federal Government’s goals to attract skilled migrants who contribute to economic growth, with Engineers Australia ensuring the program aligns with current migration policies and industry needs.
“Migrants play a critical role in the engineering sector, yet many overseas-born engineers remain under-employed due to a limited awareness of Australian workplace expectations,” Tilley said. “The PY in Engineering helps to build an ethical, diverse and future-ready talent pipeline.”
Theory and practical experience
The comprehensive 44-week program is paid for by students and delivered by a small number of quality program providers in partnership with Engineers Australia. It includes classroom training on Australian workplace culture (WHS, diversity, employee rights and regulations), career development, job applications, interview skills, business communication and professional ethics.
In addition, it features a three-month workplace internship where participants can apply their learning in a real Australian engineering environment.
Gao said he found the module on the Australian Workplace Environment extremely useful.
“Before the internship even started, this module taught me how to survive and thrive in an Australian workplace – how to communicate, how to collaborate, and how to avoid common workplace misunderstandings,” he said.
“What impressed me the most was the strong emphasis on respect and equality. In Australia, employees are encouraged to discuss issues openly with managers, instead of just blindly following instructions. Seeing such a different workplace culture in Australia was both refreshing and empowering.”
Telco engineering graduate Mao Li, also from China, said he joined the PY program in pursuit of new challenges and career development. A highlight for him was his placement with electronic turnkey situations provider Classtek.
“This experience really helped me to better understand workplace expectations, professional communication, teamwork and ethical practice. The program also strengthened my soft skills, such as critical thinking and problem solving, alongside technical knowledge.
“Meanwhile, the exposure to industry environments helped me better align my skills with employer expectations – and looks great on my resume.”
Benefits for hosts
Host employers also value the PY program experience.
Earl Duran at renewables company Diagno Energy learnt about the program when its sister company hired two permanent engineers post-placement.
“We’ve been very happy so far. These students we have welcomed through the program possess a really great attitude and a desire to learn, which is very beneficial for us even if they’re only with us for three months.”
While it hasn’t been the right time for Diagno to hire any PY graduates permanently, Duran said he’d “definitely” consider it.
With more than half his team migrants – including himself, being from New Caledonia – he fully understands the importance of supporting migrant engineers into the workforce.
“They bring different perspectives and creative thinking different from locals, adding real value to the team.”
Pengjin Pan was a PY student himself before being hired permanently by his host employer, medical technology provider CathRx. Still with the company, he now supervises other PY participants.
“The PY program is such a valuable way to teach professional skills face-to-face so we can really get to know the students – as opposed to those we hire from outside the program. And once hired, PY participants would already have a good understanding of the company environment, so it would take less effort to train them.”
Several PY participants have secured ongoing paid employment with their host organisations at the end of their placement – which proves the program’s success in delivering sustainable jobs for overseas-qualified engineers while overcoming employment barriers, Tilley said.
Gao was one of them – though turned down the opportunity, having to return to China for personal reasons. Nevertheless, he still intends to find long-term engineering work in Australia, and feels the PY program has equipped him to do so.
Gao advises other students who are about to embark on their PY internship to make the most of the program.
“The PY program is truly a valuable opportunity and the internship a rare chance to experience Australian workplace culture, understand industry expectations, and gain clarity about your future direction.
“Make sure you learn as much as possible, grow as much as possible, and walk away a stronger, more confident version of yourself.”
Learn how the Professional Year in Engineering program works.