University Students in USA and Australia: Anticipation and Reflection on the Transition to Work

This article discusses two different views of the transition to the professional workplace from university, one based in the United States and the other in Australia. The US case examines upper ] division undergraduate and postgraduate student perceptions related to their participation in a community ] based internship program; the other case in Australia involves employed mathematics graduates reflecting on their work experience and their degree course. Of particular interest in this study is the examination of how university students perceive the relationship of their academic studies with work experience and professional placement.