This guide is your practical starting point for Holmes Institute careers—from part-time work in the CBDs to internships, placements, and graduate roles. Holmes runs support through Holmes Recruit, Student Services, and academic mentors across its city campuses.
If you’re comparing choices as Holmes Institute international students, the key rules right now: student-visa work is generally capped at 48 hours per fortnight during study periods and you should know Australia’s current minimum wage before you accept a job. Trimester dates help you time applications for internships and placements.
How Holmes career support works
Holmes provides three layers of support you can actually use:
Holmes Recruit: job-search assistance, career guidance, and a board of open roles; graduates can also tap it after finishing. Some courses include compulsory work experience, flagged by the faculty.
Student Services & Academic Mentors: free study skills help and mentor appointments to keep grades steady while you take on work.
Trimester rhythm: three main intakes plus mid-semester entries; Trimester 3 can be used to fast-track or spread load while you work.
Part-time work while you study (rules & pay)
What’s allowed: As of now, student-visa holders can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during teaching periods (full-time in official break weeks). Always check your own visa conditions before taking extra shifts.
What you should be paid: Australia’s National Minimum Wage from 1 July 2025 is $24.95/hour (higher rates apply if your job is covered by an award; casuals on the minimum get +25% loading). Use Fair Work’s pay guides to confirm your rate, penalties, and allowances.
Where to find roles: Start with Holmes Recruit, then the usual suspects (Seek, Indeed) and local precinct employers around each campus.
Timing your applications (trimester-by-trimester plan)
Use this simple calendar to line up casual work, internships, and placements with your study load.
Period | What to do | Why it helps |
Before T1 (Feb–Mar) | Update resume, book Academic Mentor, apply for on-campus casual roles, learn your award rate. | You’ll hit Week 1 ready to work without tanking grades. |
T1 (Mar–Jun) | Secure flexible shifts; shortlist winter internships; attend Holmes Recruit info sessions. | Recruiters love early consistency; easier references. |
Break (late Jun–Jul) | Increase hours, complete short courses, polish LinkedIn. | The cap lifts in official breaks; bank savings and certificates. |
T2 (Jul–Oct) | Apply for summer internships, start capstone scoping with your coordinator. | Interviews often land mid-T2; you’ll be first in line. |
Break (late Oct–Nov) | Trial a new role or micro-internship; reset timetable. | Good window to test industry fit. |
T3 (Nov–Mar) | Optional fast-track trimester: keep momentum or lighten load for work/placement. | Keeps visa and progress on track while earning. |
Holmes Internships, placements & course-embedded experience
Business/IT/Accounting: While not all units have placements, some courses set work experience requirements, and many assessments are industry-focused. Use Holmes Recruit for internship leads and ask your unit coordinator about local employer nights.
Early Childhood (Education): The Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) and the nested Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood are built with supervised placements that meet Australian early childhood standards. Plan paid work around these blocks.
MIS (Information Systems): The MIS is 16 units over four trimesters with staged exits (GCIS/GDIS). Use T2 or T3 for project-based roles that align with analytics, security, or PM units.
Part-time job ideas near each Holmes campus
City | Typical student jobs nearby | Notes for Holmes Institute international students |
Hospitality, retail, office admin, call centres | Parliament Station area means predictable late-shift transport; learn award rates for hospitality. | |
Admin, retail, serviced-office roles, hospitality | Wynyard/Town Hall corridors = high foot traffic and fast interviews. | |
CBD retail, riverside venues, entry-level IT support | Pair shifts with Botanic Gardens precinct; ferry/bus links help with late finishes. | |
Hospitality, tourism, events, retail | Trams make multi-site rosters workable; peak seasons boost hours. | |
Tourism operators, cafes, hotels | Tropical peak season brings surge hiring; plan for wet-season timetable tweaks. |
Graduate roles by Holmes course area (examples)
Your course area | Common entry-level roles | Where to look first |
Business (BBus) | Business analyst assistant, operations coordinator, sales/BD associate | Holmes Recruit, CBD corporates, mid-tier firms. |
Professional Accounting (BPA/MPA) | Graduate accountant, accounts officer, audit/assurance trainee | CPA/CAANZ pathways + CBD accounting recruiters. |
Information Systems / Cyber | Support analyst, data assistant, SOC analyst (junior), PMO assistant | Tech MSPs, government vendors, SaaS scale-ups. |
Early Childhood (Grad Dip/MTeach) | Early childhood teacher, centre coordinator, educational leader (with experience) | Approved providers; roles align to placement sites. |
Fashion Business | Showroom assistant, e-commerce coordinator, retail management stream | CBD retail HQs and multi-brand groups. |
Your rights at work (quick checks)
Confirm you’re being paid lawfully for your role and level using Fair Work’s Pay Guides; keep a copy of your roster and payslips.
Track hours carefully to keep under the 48-hours/fortnight cap in study periods; overtime during breaks is fine under current rules.
If you face issues (underpayment, unsafe shifts), contact Fair Work or talk to Student Services for first steps.
Not sure which award covers you? Drop a question and we’ll point you to the right guide in minutes.
Make your application stand out (Holmes-specific tips)
Workload rhythm: Holmes typically runs 12-week trimesters, with four subjects full-time. Balance rosters around lecture/tutorial hours, not just the course title.
Use Academic Mentors: Book a mentor before mid-terms to head off clashes between assessment weeks and peak shifts.
Document placement proof early: If your course requires workplace experience (e.g., Early Childhood), line up clearances and checklists in Week 1.
Holmes Recruit first, then external boards: Recruit knows faculty calendars and can flag roles that fit class loads.
Career timeline template you can copy
Week | To-do | Proof you keep |
0 (before classes) | Resume/LinkedIn refresh; check award pay rate. | PDF resume v1; screenshot of pay-guide rate. |
1–2 | Register with Holmes Recruit; set job alerts; meet mentor. | Recruit confirmation; mentor notes. |
3–5 | Apply to 6–10 roles; target 2 interviews/week. | Spreadsheet of applications. |
6–8 | Start casual shifts; keep below 48 hrs/fortnight. | Timesheet app logs. |
9–12 | Shortlist internships/placements; confirm next-trimester timetable. | Email threads; unit plan. |
Break | Increase hours; finish any onboarding or checks. | Payslips; police/WWCC as needed. |
For Holmes Institute international students (extra notes)
Work hours: 48 hours per fortnight in study periods; always verify on Study Australia or Home Affairs before you accept extra shifts.
Pay & tax: Get a TFN, check the minimum wage, and review your award. Casual roles commonly add 25% loading to the minimum.
Support on arrival: Student Services can help with study skills, wellbeing, and referrals if work starts to crowd your timetable.
Where to from here
Compare job pockets and commute times on each Campus guide (Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Cairns).
Recheck your program’s placement requirements on the Courses guide.
Thinking of switching level or location? Use the Transfer Service to keep your COE and credits tidy.
Want fast advice? The Contact guide gets you to a PickMyUni counsellor in one step.