What are the odds of earning a PhD in Australia and then getting hired to work there as a professor?

Question

I am thinking about moving to Australia to earn my PhD and my worst fear is spending almost four years there and not getting a position as a professor or manager at some airline...oh yeah...my master's degree is in aviation. I know Boeing has some things going on down there but I am not sure how foreigners are going to take to me dominating the situation.

Answer 1

As a professor - zero. Sorry. We don't just hand out professorships willy nilly in Australia. They are a much higher standard than in the USA. Usually, there will be just one professor per department, eg. biology, engineering - the most senior position. A PhD will get you in at the very bottom. But if that's what you mean, you'll have as much chance as anyone else. You won't be discriminated against for being a foreigner, especially in a university.

Answer 2

Hello, I'm not sure what you mean by "dominating the situation"? Australia is a very advanced country with superior technology in many respects. Part of that reason is the smaller poplulation which allows quicker introduction of technology etc. as opposed to the USA where change is slow and often driven by corporate snails. In any event, my suggestion is that you apply and enter Australia as a student. You will get a visa for that but you must realize that the education system is different from the USA so you should look into that aspect as well. Once you are there and earned your degree it will be easy enough to get a job. Australia suffers from what is called the "brain drain" which is a reality whereby Australians have found it easier to earn more money overseas. However, the quality of life there is superior and these days there are many American related businesses that you will not miss the USA much.

In terms of Aviation the country has limitations again due to the popluation. However, there are several domestic airlines (Qantas, Virgin Blue, REX, OzJet, JetStar) but some of these are subsidiaries of Qantas. There are plenty of regional operators and International carriers that you can find on the Sydney airport website as well as the other ones. Most airports are privately held so there is a corporation behind that not to mention the various ground operators and service providers.

The issue you have is adapting to Australia and not bringing pre-conceived notions of American superiority. I don't mean to be harsh but Australia offers a different way of life which is positive to some while others find difficult.

Good luck