Need to develop your professional skills? Find work as a tutor!

Good communication, interpersonal skills, time-management and personal responsibility are all valuable skills that employers look for but how can international students and graduates acquire these while studying or finding work in Australia?

With Australia’s job market being as competitive as it is, finding honest work that can help students and graduates develop these skills can be difficult but one solution to this is to consider becoming a tutor.

Sai, an international student from Laos, did just that when he joined TeachingMe, an online platform providing education and tuition help in Australia by sourcing quality teachers, tutors and learning centres to help students and parents save time and effort on the searching process.

He wanted to improve his communication skills, an employable trait he realised would become useful as a budding Bachelor of Project Management student. Under the recommendation of a friend, Sai signed up to TeachingMe as a language tutor, teaching the Lao language for anyone interested in taking it up.

“I was very surprised at first to know that someone wants to study Lao here in Melbourne,” Sai said.

“I registered with TeachingMe on their website and got a booking from a student the next day, which was very quick,” he continued.

TeachingMe gives international students a way to find paid work and develop professional skills. All tutors undergo quality reassurance checks by TeachingMe to ensure the best tutoring experience can be delivered.

When asked about the demand for the Lao language in Melbourne, Sai admitted that while there mightn’t be a huge one at this time, he feels that there may be in the future as more Lao students come to study in Melbourne.

On his experience as a tutor with TeachingMe, Sai said it has been enjoyable and invaluable. He strongly believes his communication has improved as a result of tutor work.

“My student happens to be an English tutor. I help her with Lao and she helps me with my English, so there [are] some great mutual benefits there,” he said.

Moreover, his experience as a tutor has helped him improve in other professional areas as well, including interpersonal skills.

“It’s a good experience to have on my resume and its related to my future course [in Project Management],” he said. Sai also cited leadership qualities developed through his work as a tutor as being important to the learning outcomes in his future course.

Through his experience as a tutor at TeachingMe, Sai advises international students to become open to trying new experiences, as it can provide students with many benefits in the present and near future. He also recommends students to take up tutoring for the same reasons.

“If you have knowledge or skills in any specialised area, it’s a good idea to start tutoring. It’s not just about the money, being a tutor can bring you personal growth and valuable social connections,” Sai said.

TeachingMe’s tutors specialise in areas such as sports, music and academia. To learn more about TeachingMe and the services it provides, visit its official website.