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Michael Healy

Careers and employability learning expert

I am Head of Careers and Employability at Career Ahead, where I lead the delivery of the Graduate Certificate and Diploma of Career Development offered in partnership with James Cook University. Prior to this role I have been a careers and employability educator at several universities, leading the development of a range of services and programs in and alongside the curriculum and contributing to the development of institution-wide career, employability, and work-integrated learning strategies and frameworks. I am recognised as a leader in the field of career development and employability.

I am soon to complete a PhD in careers and employability learning. In addition to mapping the scholarly literature in the field and evaluating a dialogical approach to careers and employability learning, my research will be a record of my reflective practice as I seek to innovate in my profession. I am dedicated to innovation, data-driven continuous improvement, and working from a robust evidence-base.

Interests

  • Careers and employability learning
  • Career development professional practice
  • Narrative and dialogical career identity

Education

  • PhD candidate, careers and employability

    University of Southern Queensland

  • Grad. Cert. Career Development and Education, 2015

    Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

  • Grad. Cert. Education, 2014

    Massey University

  • B.A. Hons, History, 2006

    University of Waikato

Publications

Pre-print pdfs available on request

Graduate employability as a professional proto-jurisdiction in higher education.

Much research into how universities seek to support their students’ graduate employability has focused on academic strategies such as …
Michael Healy, Jason L. Brown, Candy Ho
PDF DOI

Microcredential learners need quality careers and employability support

Providers, industry, and governments have embraced microcredentialing as a solution to the volatility and velocity of changes in labour …
Michael Healy
PDF DOI

Career Assessment

Career assessment is inherent in the professional practices of career development. Career assessment has its scientific, technical, and …
Peter McIlveen, Harsha N. Perera, Jason L. Brown, Michael Healy, Sara Hammer
DOI

Mapping graduate employability and career development in higher education research: A citation network analysis.

Greater attention than ever is being placed on how universities enable their graduates to achieve their career goals as a key return on …
Michael Healy, Sara Hammer, Peter McIlveen
PDF DOI

Connectedness learning in the life sciences: LinkedIn as an assessment task for employability and career exploration

You’ve been doing employability the wrong way would be the click-bait headline if this chapter were to be published in an online …
Jason L. Brown, Michael Healy, Louise Lexis, Brianna Julien
PDF DOI
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Presentations and webinars

Mapping graduate employability and career development in higher education research

A presentation in the Centre of Global Higher Education’s seminar series, presenting the findings of my article: Mapping graduate …
May 4, 2021 12:00 AM — 7:42 PM Online
Slides Video

Critical ingredients of career interventions

A presentation for the Singapore People and Career Development Association outlining the evidence base of career development …
Apr 28, 2021 12:00 AM — 7:42 PM Online
Slides

Careers and employability in higher education: Two sides of the same coin?

A brief summary to the results of two of my PhD projects looking at careers and employability in higher education.
May 28, 2020 12:00 AM — 7:42 PM Online
Video

Online careers and employability services: Reflections from an Australian regional university

Presentation for the UK Association of Careers Advisory Services, about online delivery of careers and employability services.
May 6, 2020 12:00 AM — 7:42 PM Online

Career services in Australian higher education: Aligning the training of practitioners to contemporary practice

Presentation at NAGCAS 2019 of our article on changes in career development practice.
Nov 28, 2019 12:00 AM — Feb 16, 2020 7:42 PM Curtin University, Perth, WA
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Experience

I have been working in higher education careers and employability since 2012. Prior to that, I was an English language and academic skills teacher for about six years. I’ve always enjoyed helping people express themselves through language.

As much as I enjoy my work now, my favourite job will always be looking after Browsers Quality Secondhand Books on the weekends and evenings during my undergraduate years.

 
 
 
 
 

Head of Career Development and Employability

Career Ahead

Sep 2021 – Present Toowoomba, QLD

Leading the design and delivery of a Graduate Certificate and Diploma in Career Development.

Contributing to the innovation agenda of Career Ahead and working to elevate and innovate the career development profession in Australia and beyond.

 
 
 
 
 

Employability Coordinator

University of Southern Queensland

Mar 2018 – Sep 2021 Toowoomba, QLD

Leading a team of employer engagement specialists to deliver a range of services and programs designed to enhance the employability, graduate outcomes, and entrepreneurial mindset of USQ students.

Collaborating with academics to incorporate careers and employability learning into the curricula of degree programs

 
 
 
 
 

Careers and Employability Educator

La Trobe University

Mar 2015 – Mar 2018 Melbourne, VIC

Developed a comprehensive career education curriculum in support of Career Ready Advantage, a major institution-wide employability initiative.

Collaborated with academics to incorporate careers and employability learning into the curricula of degree programs.

 
 
 
 
 

Career Development Consultant

RMIT University Vietnam

Jun 2012 – Mar 2015 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Wrote and led the publication of Explore, Experience, Engage, a workbook to support students’ careers and employability learning.

Led the development and delivery of Career Passport, a blended careers and employability learning program delivered to more than 200 students per trimester.

 
 
 
 
 

Academic English Educator

RMIT University Vietnam, Waikato University

Nov 2006 – Jun 2012 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Hamilton New Zealand
Teaching English language, writing, and research skills in English for Academic Purposes programs.

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