New Study Showcases How Education Abroad Students Develop Core Competencies for Today’s Job Market

A study published today by The Forum on Education Abroad maps the developmental pattern that students follow during their study abroad experiences as they develop the core competencies that are critical in today’s job market.
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​Using real-time blog posts written by students while they studied abroad, The Talent Advantage: What Study Abroad Alumni Can Do Differently in the Workplace examined students’ narratives to identify micro-moments where students stretched themselves, connected with others, or persisted through challenges.

 
Key insights include:

• Curiosity is the gateway skill. Students’ most frequent growth moments begin with a question, an observation, or the courage to try something new.
• Relationship-building is the growth multiplier. Peer bonds, faculty mentorship, professional interactions during internships, and casual conversations with host nationals accelerate learning and emotional resilience.
• Stretch → Connect → Persist is the dominant developmental pattern, showing that growth often begins with discomfort, is nurtured by social support, and solidified by ongoing engagement.

 
Download the report to view the full analysis.
 
Why It Matters
 
For employers, these findings show that education abroad alumni bring more than global
experience. They’ve practiced curiosity, built relationships quickly, and persisted through
challenges. These are the same skills companies need most to stay agile, innovative, and
resilient in a fast-changing world.
 
The Career Catalyst
 
Skiilify conducted this study for the Education Abroad: The Career Catalyst campaign, a field-wide effort to demonstrate how education abroad equips students with real-world skills, professional agility, and a broader perspective that sets them apart in the workforce.
 
To hear more about the skills students develop while studying abroad, listen to The Forum on Education Abroad President & CEO Melissa Torres on the International Business Today podcast, hosted by Dr. Paula Caligiuri, co-founder and CEO of Skiilify and distinguished professor at Northeastern University.
 
The Forum offers thanks to the campaign’s Founding Supporters: API Foundation, CEA CAPA Education Abroad, IES Abroad, ISEP Study Abroad, University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), WorldStrides Higher Ed (WorldStrides), Arizona State University Global Education, CIS Abroad, and Tennessee Consortium for International Studies.
 
Learn more about the campaign, The Career Catalyst.