How to prepare for the PTE essay writing task

Studying in the United Kingdom opens doors for international students. With the right to work during your studies, you’ll have the chance to gain valuable work experience before graduation.  

But what if you decide you want to stay and work in the UK after your studies? Now, it’s easier than ever to find graduate jobs in the UK, thanks to recent visa changes.  

Let’s explore what this new UK government initiative means for finding a job after graduating.  

How to work in the UK after graduating

You can start your career off with the Graduate Route. Since July 2021, International students have been allowed to spend an additional two years in the UK after successfully completing their degrees. It’s an unsponsored route: this means you don’t need a job offer or funding to apply. 

You’ll be able to search for a job and get professional experience of the UK job market before returning to your own country.  

If you decide to remain in the UK and pursue your career after your visa expires, you’ll be able to switch from the Graduate route to the Skilled Worker route.  

As long as you meet the relevant requirements, the Skilled Worker route allows you to work in the UK for a further five years. It allows you to stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer. This visa also contributes to settlement rights – meaning you may be able to apply to live permanently in the UK.  

Read more about the different types of Visas available in the UK.  

Employment opportunities in the UK 

Now that working in the UK after your degree is easier than ever before, what kind of graduate jobs are available?  

The jobs market in the UK is full of opportunities for international students. After all, the UK economy is the fifth biggest in the world. And, there are certain fields which are crying out for workers.  

It’s certainly helpful to know what’s available for you when it comes to your graduate job search in the UK. Science technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) careers in the UK are in especially high demand.  

Let’s take a look at some of the STEM jobs on the UK Shortage Occupation list:  

Graduate jobs in the sciences 

If you have recently graduated with a degree in the sciences, then you’re in luck. There are lots of science jobs in the UK for graduates. The nuclear industry, the oil and gas industry, and the engineering industry need people in the following roles:  

• Chemical scientists 

• Biological scientists and biochemists 

• Geologists and geophysicists 

• Hydrogeologists  

• Geoscientists and geochemists 

It’s good news for students planning to study biology, physics, chemistry, or geology. Your knowledge and skills will be in demand after you graduate!  

Find out more about studying the sciences in the UK.  

Graduate jobs in engineering  

Engineers of all kinds are always in high demand in a wide variety of industries, from manufacturing to construction to retail. Most undergraduate engineering degrees require you to specialize in mechanical engineering, for example, or electronic engineering. But there are some general engineering degrees where you can specialize later in your studies, once you’ve decided where your interests lie.  

Once you graduate, there’s a shortage in the UK of the following:  

• Civil engineers 

• Mechanical engineers 

• Electrical engineers 

• Electronics engineers 

• Design and development engineers 

• Production and process engineers 

Find out more about studying engineering in the UK.  

Graduate jobs in the tech world 

Studying computer science or software engineering is a good choice if you want to future-proof your career. Nowadays, technology is all around us, underpinning our everyday life.  

With a computer science degree, you can work in virtually any sector. The following jobs are in high demand:  

• IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers 

•  Programmers and software development professionals 

• Web design and development professionals 

Learn more about studying computer science in the UK. 

Graduate jobs in the arts   

It’s not just science and technology jobs that are in demand in the UK. The creative industries are also looking for skilled practitioners to work within the UK in the following roles:  

• Artists 

• Classical ballet dancers 

• Contemporary dancers  

• Orchestral musicians  

• Arts officers, producers, and directors  

• Graphic designers 

• Architects  

If you’re studying in a creative field, you’ll have lots of opportunities to work in the UK after graduating. Learn more about studying the creative arts, design, music, or architecture in the UK.  

Discover 5 more graduate jobs in demand in the UK.  

How PTE Academic can help you study in the UK 

If you want to study at a university in the UK, you’ll need to attend lectures, participate in seminars and tutorials, write essays, and complete assignments — all in English. So, you’ll need to show that you have good language skills.  

PTE Academic is a robust, reliable test of English that’s accepted by 99% of universities in the UK, as well as the UK Home Office. So, you can also use your PTE Academic score to apply for a UK student visa. 

Learn more about studying in the UK with PTE Academic.

Syed Wasi is a pioneer in many ways. He was the first PTE trainer in Bangladesh, and the first Bangladeshi to score 90 in PTE – no mean feat in a country of 166 million people! Syed is the founder of the Center for Innovative Language Learning (CILL) where students come for his help in preparing for PTE. The center is renowned for its high student success rate.  

So, how does Syed help his students to get the scores they need in PTE? Let’s find out.  

How Syed teaches PTE  

When a student arrives at CILL, their first step towards PTE success starts with a language assessment. “If we find that their language skills aren’t particularly strong,” says Syed, “the first thing we do is create a course which includes general language classes. We go step by step through the levels, helping them to improve their language skills – and once they are ready for PTE, they join a PTE preparation class.”  

Once Syed’s students are part of a preparation class, they follow a carefully designed curriculum. Each language skill tested in PTE (speaking, writing, reading and listening) is covered in a module of three classes. The first class introduces the type of exam questions that students can expect. The second class gives students the practical tools and techniques that they’ll need to answer the exam questions, and the third class is a practice session. But the secret to Syed’s success? He doesn’t let the students sit PTE before they’re ready:  

"The final step in PTE preparation is the mock test. We don’t let them take the test until they’re ready for the test, which is why we have a very high success rate.”  

Flexibility is also important. The PTE preparation courses at CILL are blended courses; some students attend the center in person, and others join online. When the pandemic began, there was a massive shift to teaching online, and many schools had to adapt quickly. But Syed’s language school was ahead of the curve when it came to blended learning. “I did my masters in online teaching back in 2012,” says Syed. “We’ve been teaching with a blended learning model since 2016, so it was easy for us to adapt. Now, students are returning to the classroom, but we still offer the blended learning option.”  

Building a community of learners  

An important part of the school culture at CILL is the accessibility of the teachers. Learning isn’t confined to the classroom – the teachers are available to answer questions outside of class times. “We create WhatsApp groups for different classes, and it’s like a virtual hub,” Syed explains. What’s more, the teachers follow up with students after class. This dedicated service has helped Syed to build a loyal community of learners around the world. “Many of our students have moved to Australia, to the UK, or to other countries,” he says. “And wherever they go, if they meet anyone interested in PTE preparation, they refer them to our school. They’ll say, there’s a person in Bangladesh who can give you the support you’ll need to pass the test.”  

Syed’s advice for PTE teachers 

“If you’re new to PTE teaching, the most important thing is to make sure you have the expertise you need to prepare students for the test,” Syed says. After all, there’s a lot on the line when it comes to PTE. Students often need a certain score for a university application or a visa. So if you don’t prepare students thoroughly, it could have an impact not only on their score but on their careers. Syed recommends taking the test yourself in order to gain real insight into PTE.  

And for more experienced teachers, Syed believes that honesty is the best policy when it comes to test preparation. “Tell your students exactly what they’ll need to do in order to get the score they need. Be honest with them, and that way they know what they have to do.”  

PTE is a high stakes test. When you’re helping students to prepare for the exam, you’re helping them to change their lives, to do something new. “It’s not just a business,” says Syed. “We are helping students to reach their goals. It’s my passion, and my vocation.”  

Learn more

Each month, we feature the profile of a teacher from our PTE community. If you have advice and insights to share with other PTE preparation teachers, we’d like to hear from you! Fill out this form and we’ll be in touch shortly.  

In previous months, we featured Jurine Ruperto, who teaches in Cebu in the Philippines, and Ramesh Thapa, a PTE teacher in Kathmandu. You can read all about them on our blog, where you’ll also find lots of resources for PTE preparation classes. And don’t forget to sign up to our monthly newsletter.

Canada needs immigrants to grow its population. And there’s good news for students: foreign learners and people with a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) are some of the most important propellers of the country’s population growth.  

So how does a PGWP work? In this guide, we cover what you need to know. You’ll learn about who’s eligible, how much it costs, and most importantly, how long you can stay in the country after graduation to gain Canadian work experience.  

Canada’s post-graduation work permit: how does it work? 

The PGWP lets international students who have graduated from an eligible designated learning institution to stay in Canada and work for up to three years. Not surprisingly, the program is a big draw to work and study in Canada for international students – and it’s grown in popularity over the last several years.  

Just take a look at the numbers: between 2005 and 2016, the amount of permits issued to new graduates increased by 15 times – from 7,400 to 117,700 per year. By 2018, 143,000 permits were issued. And in the first quarter of 2021, PGWPs increased 160% year-over-year.  

The PGWP is an open work permit, which means you can work for any employer in Canada. You also don’t need a job offer to apply. The length of your PGWP depends on how long you’ve studied in Canada. For example, if your program was: 

• Under 8 months, you won’t be eligible for a PGWP. 

• Less than 2 years, you may get a permit for the same amount of time as you studied (for example if your program was one year, you might get a permit for one year).

• More than 2 years, you could be eligible for a 3-year permit. 

If you studied more than 1 program, you may also get a PGWP that combines the length of each program.  

Who is eligible?  

To be eligible for a PGWP, you need to meet a number of criteria. For example, you need to have graduated from a program that was at least 8 months long at a designated learning institution – and have earned a degree, diploma, or certificate from that. 

International students who were approved for a study permit and are studying online outside Canada due to the pandemic are also eligible for a PGWP.  

However, people who’ve only studied English or French as a second language in Canada are not.  

For a full list of criteria, make sure to check out the Government of Canada website.  

How can you apply? 

Before you begin the application process, you need to have proof that you’ve completed your studies. You need to show either: 

• An official letter from your institution 

• An official transcript  

• A degree or diploma  

After you’ve got one of these, you need to apply for a PGWP within 180 days.  

Instructions for exactly how to apply depending on whether you’re applying from inside or outside Canada. You can find the step-by-step instructions on the Government of Canada website – including an official guide and a document checklist.  

How much does it cost? 

It costs $255 CAD to apply for a PGWP. Processing times differ, but it can take up to 73 days to be approved on average. However, the good news is that many graduates can work while they’re waiting on a decision.  

Other visa options  

Being able to work and study in Canada for international students around the world is often a dream come true. However if you’re not eligible for a PGWP, you do have some other visa options.  

An employer-specific work permit 

This type of work permit allows you to work for a certain amount of time for a specific employer. You might be eligible for this if you’ve gotten a job to be a researcher at a university, or a charitable worker at an NGO, for example.  

Canada has a tool to help you learn more about what type of work permit you could be eligible for. You can check it out here.  

Permanent residence  

If you’ve worked full-time for 12 months after graduation in a skilled trade, a professional job that requires a degree, or a management-level job, you could be eligible for permanent residence.