A multi-graduate of 黑料社 Academy, this second-generation education counsellor shares a closer look into the realities of the role, the challenges that often go unspoken, and why continuous professional development remains central to the way she works.

What inspired you to become an education agent, and how did you get started in the industry?

I grew up connected to the industry. My mother started her education consultancy in the 90s, helping Filipino and Indian students gain admission to international boarding schools in the UK. She also organised summer exchange programmes to Canada. 

Back then, everything was done offline. I still remember the large world map in her office, the programme brochures arriving by courier, and my mother travelling frequently to meet partners in person. 

I saw firsthand how much students and their families were counting on someone they could trust to guide them through the study abroad journey, and that never really left me. So, when it came to what I would do with my own career, it never felt like a big decision. 

After completing my degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management with a major in Travel and Tourism, I introduced a new service that connected fresh hospitality graduates in the Philippines with apprenticeship opportunities in Australia. Alongside this, I became more involved in the day-to-day student recruitment and visa assistance services.

At around the same time, I started taking online courses through PIER, which is now a part of 黑料社 Academy. The industry was changing quickly, and I felt it was important to keep developing professionally, to ensure the work I was doing was grounded in current knowledge.

What does a typical day look like for you in your current role? 

I love working in this industry because it lets me stay connected with institutions, clients, and my team from anywhere in the world. I have grown what my mother started into an online education business spanning eight countries, most recently adding the Turks and Caicos Islands. Each destination has shaped my perspective and strengthened my passion for what I do. 

On any given day, I could be navigating different time zones, managing communications, hosting webinars, or guiding a client through their pre-departure preparation. It is a role that keeps me on my toes, but it is an environment in which I thrive.

For me, this has never been 鈥渏ust鈥� a job. I grew up watching what it means to do it well, and the passion to guide students towards great opportunities and make a lasting impact is something I carry with me every day.

“From choosing the right school to navigating admissions and visas, students need to know that you are genuinely looking out for them, not just moving them through a process.”

What are your top tips for building and maintaining strong relationships with both students and institutions?

So much of building and nurturing relationships comes down to integrity, respect, and shared decision-making. 

From choosing the right school to navigating admissions and visas, students need to know that you are genuinely looking out for them, not just moving them through a process. Being honest with them means taking the time to understand their goals, helping them prepare for challenges, and celebrating their successes along the way. Shared, respectful decision-making ensures that together, we can create a plan that they feel confident in and are committed to.

I follow a similar approach with partner institutions. One thing that I have learned from working with people from diverse backgrounds is that avoiding blame and focusing on teamwork almost always leads to better outcomes for everyone involved.

When built on a clear view of the student鈥檚 academic journey and future success, relationships tend to be smoother and longer lasting. 

What are the main considerations students and parents have when choosing an international study destination today?

Considerations vary from family to family. Some families feel much more comfortable knowing that there is a trusted relative or family friend in the destination country, someone who can be there for their child during the first year of adjustment. 

That kind of support gives everyone peace of mind and allows the student to settle in slowly before finding their footing as an independent international student.

Other families take a different approach and actively encourage their children to take a leap and choose a destination on their own. In this case, families prefer student residences or on-campus accommodation, where safety, community, and support structures are already in place. 

Since studying abroad is a significant financial commitment, families look beyond academic credentials, too. They want to know that the institution offers excellent facilities, a vibrant social environment, and opportunities for their child to grow as a person, not just as a student.

What most families share is the same underlying hope – that their child becomes more confident and independent, and is ready for global opportunities.

How have student preferences and expectations changed in recent years, and how have you adapted to these shifts?

Students today have instant access to information through tools like ChatGPT, and sometimes this makes them question the value of working with an education agent. They come in expecting quick answers and, if an email goes unanswered for too long, they follow up on WhatsApp without a second thought. 

I have learned to embrace this shift with resilience and adaptability. Instead of rushing, I set clear timelines and due dates, allowing students to organise their questions and set their expectations before our meetings. I offer flexibility in communication, providing consultations both online and face-to-face, so they can get the guidance they need in a format that works for them. So, even if my responses aren’t always instant, they are considered, accurate, and tailored to the student in front of me.

Ultimately, being an education agent in this digital era is not about competing with technology, but about adding value through human insight, personalised guidance, and a deeper level of understanding; things that no automated tool can provide.

What are some of the biggest challenges you currently face in your role, and how do you navigate them?

One of the biggest challenges is that, even though the digital world is becoming more aggressive in promoting the idea that 鈥渆verything can be solved with AI tools,鈥� many students and parents still lack real awareness and proper preparation when it comes to studying abroad.

Families often approach it in a fashion similar to applying for a tourist visa, or assume that an offer letter means the visa is basically guaranteed. As education consultants, we know that’s far from the reality. Proper preparation, strong documentation, and the right guidance are critical at every stage.

After moving to the Turks and Caicos Islands, I identified a different but equally pressing issue. Students here typically complete their education at around 16, leaving them with very limited options 鈥� boarding schools that are often unaffordable, a local community college with limited programmes, or entering the workforce early. With eight secondary schools and just one community college serving the islands, the lack of resources significantly limits their opportunities.

This inspired me to start The Island Scholars Programme TCI, a non-profit co-founded with a partner who shares the same vision. Through seminars, workshops, open days, and awareness campaigns, the programme connects local students with study abroad opportunities and additional academic pathways they might not otherwise have known existed. 

Whether in Southeast Asia or the Caribbean, the core challenge remains the same: bridging the gap between aspiration and informed decision-making.

How has undertaking professional development influenced your career and the way you work?

Much of what I initially knew about the international education sector came from growing up in the industry and learning on the job. Undertaking professional development through 黑料社 Academy gave my experience structure and strengthened my professionalism when working with students and their families.

What stood out to me was the depth of the courses. They offer insights into countries, cultures, education systems, visa processes, and other essential areas that cannot easily be found in one place online. This knowledge makes a big difference when sitting across from a family trying to make one of the biggest decisions of their lives.

黑料社 Academy courses also sharpened my sense of responsibility around communication. A counsellor’s duty of care toward a student begins from the very first conversation and continues through to graduation. 

The courses helped me think more critically about how to communicate clearly and offer personalised support at every stage of that journey, so that students and their families stay well-informed and confident in their decisions.

Why do you think it鈥檚 important for education agents to continue developing their skills and knowledge?

The world of international education is constantly evolving. Recruitment trends change, global events can affect study abroad opportunities, and each country’s education system has its own unique requirements and nuances. If you’re not actively keeping up, you risk giving students outdated guidance, and that’s a disservice to them.

There’s also the problem-solving side of it. As education agents, we cannot simply say “no” when challenges arise. Each student and family has unique needs, goals, and circumstances, and it is our role to find the best solutions tailored to them. Continuous learning and a problem-solving mindset go hand in hand and, together, they are what allow us to truly support students in achieving their academic and career aspirations.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the international education industry?

Being an education consultant is a career built on human relationships. It’s for those who love problem solving, who don’t mind working while catching a flight, balancing family time, or working on weekends to make a difference. It is a great profession if you value adventure, global connections, and helping others succeed.

The most fulfilling part of this journey is seeing students achieve what they once only dreamed of – holding their diploma, stepping into their chosen career, and realising the future they worked so hard for. Every challenge, every late-night call, every personalised guidance session is worth it when you witness the impact on their lives.

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Training and professional development have always been integral to working in international education. A people-centred sector that is built on relationships, it is supported by individuals who continue to build knowledge and practical capability as their roles evolve. 

Agents, counsellors, admissions staff, partnership managers, and other professionals in international education often enter the sector through adjacent fields. As a result,  many build their expertise on the job, learning through experience, mentoring, and exposure to different situations while performing their roles. 

Moreover, as the international education sector is particularly vulnerable to change, from shifting policy requirements to evolving student preferences, professional competence is shaped less by a single credential and more by how effectively knowledge is updated and applied in practice. This ongoing learning is often described as Continuing Professional Development (CPD).  

What is Continuing Professional Development?

Continuing Professional Development refers to the process of learning throughout your career to maintain and improve your professional knowledge and skills. It is learning that is intentional, role-relevant, and reflected on or applied in practice.

CPD is particularly pertinent for the international education sector, where professionals are expected to quickly and efficiently navigate changes in visa policy, quality assurance requirements, recruitment channels, digital systems, and institution strategy. When approached in a systematic manner, it is a means of keeping pace with these demands, rather than relying solely on past experience. 

At its core, CPD promotes high standards across the industry and supports professional growth. As an individual, it helps you to build on existing strengths, identify and address skill gaps, improve performance, and ultimately influence the quality of advice and support provided to students.

How CPD is structured and evidenced 

Since CPD is built on the idea of continuous development, it can take many forms. Some learning is structured, while other learning is informed or self-directed. Structured CPD includes formal learning activities like online courses, training programmes and workshops, whereas unstructured CPD includes informal or self-directed activities such as mentoring, peer learning, engaging with sector research, listening to podcasts or reading articles. 

For example, is reading an article considered CPD?

• Yes, if it is relevant to your role and undertaken with professional intent.
• No, if it is read casually with no connection to your professional responsibilities. 

The same principle applies to podcasts, webinars, courses and other forms of learning. 

To better engage with CPD, you can reflect on the following questions :

• Why does this learning matter for your current or future role?
• What did you take from it, and how could it be applied in your work routine?
• How has it influenced the way you think or act professionally?
• Could you recommend it to colleagues as a useful professional development resource?

Reflecting on these questions each time you engage with educational or informative material can help you maximise the CPD value.

Formally Recognising CPD

There are several ways that CPD can be recorded and recognised, with varying levels of formality. Most forms of unstructured CPD are unaccredited, which means that the responsibility to document what has been learned, often through a CPD record or similar log, sits with you. 

On the other hand, accredited CPD is learning that has been externally quality-assured and mapped to a recognised framework. Where this is the case, learning may be awarded a formal qualification or CPD credits (sometimes referred to as CPD hours), which quantify learning in a consistent way. 

CPD credits usually represent one hour of learning per credit and represent the achievement of specific outcomes. When added to a CPD record, credits show development across different areas of competence, such as leadership, business practice, data and technology, or student advising. Where credits are issued within recognised frameworks, they may also be transferable across organisations, supporting professional mobility.

Why CPD is important in international education recruitment

Benefits of CPD to the individual

Professional responsibility and student outcomes

Advising students, managing agent relationships, approving partnerships, or interpreting compliance requirements all involve judgement calls, often in situations where guidance is evolving or incomplete. CPD supports this responsibility by helping you stay informed, reflect on your practice, and update your understanding as expectations change.

Making informed decisions

CPD strengthens your ability to analyse changing conditions, question assumptions, and avoid relying on past experience alone in markets that may no longer behave the same way. In complex, cross鈥慴order environments, this ongoing development supports more confident, evidence鈥慴ased decision鈥憁aking.

Career development and progression

Since many roles in international education lack a fixed qualification pathway, it is important to develop your competence through experience and on-the-job training. Structured, recorded CPD evidences your growth in skills, showing that you are potentially ready to take on more senior roles.

Benefits of CPD to the sector

In some professions, such as healthcare and law, ongoing professional development is mandated through formal licensing or annual CPD requirements. While international education has not historically operated this way, expectations around professionalism, transparency, and quality are becoming more clearly articulated across the sector through frameworks such as the AQF in the UK and ESOS in Australia. 

While these frameworks do not prescribe a specific pathway for professional development, they place greater emphasis on demonstrable knowledge, ethical practice, and informed decision鈥憁aking. In this context, CPD provides a practical way to show how professional capability is being maintained and strengthened over time.

Whether learning is formal or informal, accredited or self鈥慸irected, CPD provides a way to think more intentionally about professional growth and to evidence that development when it matters. In a sector defined by complexity and change, it provides a way to maintain confidence in decision鈥憁aking, demonstrate capability, and support sustainable career progression.

The post What is CPD and why does it matter in international education recruitment? appeared first on 黑料社 Academy.

Akram Mardini, General Manager at Student World, shares his journey from starting as an intern to leading a global education agency, discussing the challenges, opportunities, and the importance of continuous professional development through platforms like 黑料社 Academy.

Could you tell us how you got started in the international education industry?

Before I started my journey as an education agent in 2010, I was an international student myself. When I first applied for my student visa, I had no idea that this line of business or service was available to anyone and I remember thinking to myself how tedious it was to look up all the information I needed online. And, in a lot of situations, I had to call the embassy and ask them questions. This was my first exposure to the field and my experience helped me develop a passion for helping students navigate their educational journeys.

Can you describe what your typical day looks like and how you approach your responsibilities?

I鈥檓 not your typical general manager. I鈥檓 still very much involved in the day-to-day operations on a global scale. The reason I emphasise this is because we sometimes forget that we鈥檙e not selling a product. We don鈥檛 have a factory. Our role is to provide a service, and the clients who come to our offices every day expect that service from experts who truly know what they鈥檙e doing. Given all the changes happening in the industry, it鈥檚 clear that just knowing your job isn鈥檛 enough – you need to master it. 

The repercussions of any issues that arise can have significant impacts on someone鈥檚 future. That鈥檚 why, even today, my role involves checking in on our offices, to ensure everything is running smoothly and to address any new inquiries, as well as dealing with our education providers. I stay in close contact with them to ensure we鈥檙e meeting their standards, that they鈥檙e satisfied with what they see, and to explore any potential improvements. I also keep them updated on our activities and expansions to see if they鈥檙e interested in participating.

How have professional development courses helped you in your journey as an education agent?

I strongly believe that self-development is crucial in any industry. The 黑料社 Agent Training Course and the Education Agent Training Course were the first stepping stones in my journey to grasp the full scope of this industry. These courses provided me with a deeper understanding of the sector and gave me insights into what to expect in my role and how to effectively manage client relationships.聽

At the same time, they broadened my perspective and helped me realise the vastness of this sector.  Usually, when you start working as an agent, it’s easy to become very focused on particular products, particular clients, or particular markets. However, as you progress, you start realising that different markets have unique needs and requirements.

The knowledge I gained through these courses goes beyond what you can gain from working in a single space or market. The courses help you to see the bigger picture so that you can provide the best service to the client sitting in front of you and work in their best interests. That, to me, is the most important thing in our industry and what keeps me motivated to learn continuously. 

Do you focus on specific sending markets and study destinations, or is there a lot of diversity? What opportunities or challenges do you encounter in this process?

We actually operate in a variety of markets. We’re present in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bhutan, Nigeria, China, Australia, the US, Colombia, and Brazil. So, we鈥檝e got quite a diverse range of markets.

Australia has traditionally been, and continues to be, our biggest destination – primarily because that鈥檚 where our head office is located. It鈥檚 been our bread and butter since we started. However, over the last four to five years, we鈥檝e seen a noticeable shift, with more students exploring other regions and countries. We鈥檝e been actively working on expanding into these areas, and we鈥檙e seeing great success in destinations like the US, New Zealand, various European countries, Dubai, Malaysia and, more recently, India. 

These are new destinations that, in the past, people might not have considered for study. But, with recent legislative changes and delays in visa appointments, we鈥檙e seeing a lot more students opting for these countries, to pursue their international education and obtain the degrees and recognition they seek.

In light of the ongoing conversations around agent regulation, what specific steps has your agency taken to ensure transparency?

Transparency is key to the success of any agency today and it鈥檚 also vital for the success of our industry as a whole. So, when providers conduct proper due diligence and are able to trust the agents they work with, the outcome is a satisfied client – someone who is placed in the right course, one that they can afford and succeed in, as well as one that will help advance their career.

From everything I’ve learned over the years – whether through daily industry experience or training at 黑料社 Academy – I’ve been able to streamline our processes to enhance transparency. This streamlined approach allows us to provide clients with all the information they need right from the beginning, ensuring they fully understand what they鈥檙e getting into.

Part of this process involves connecting the client with various specialised teams within our organisation. We have a dedicated team for visa processing and documentation; and another team focused on admissions, handling communication with universities and managing timelines. This structure ensures that clients receive clear, timely answers throughout the process.

What has been the most valuable aspect of 黑料社 Academy courses and why would you recommend them to other agents and counsellors?

黑料社 Academy鈥檚 courses offer a deep understanding of best practices and provide a framework, which is crucial. What’s great about them is that they鈥檙e quite personalised – each person can take what they need most from the course. For example, when I first started, I had a lot of product knowledge thanks to extensive training with providers, but I had zero understanding of how to manage client interactions. 

The courses I took really offered a holistic approach to what an ideal scenario looks like, which I found incredibly beneficial. 

So, whether you鈥檙e new or even if you鈥檝e been in the industry for a long time, I would strongly encourage everyone to take these professional development courses. As I mentioned, they not only provide an in-depth understanding of an agent鈥檚 role but also offer a practical perspective into what the global network looks like. In fact, if I weren鈥檛 actively involved in migration work now, I鈥檇 need a refresher on changes to systems like the Canadian visa process or updates to the US visa policies, and would take the respective destination-focused courses.

Want to share your story? Contact us at academy@icef.com with the subject line 鈥楳y Journey in International Education鈥�. We鈥檇 love to hear about your experiences in the industry. Whether it鈥檚 about overcoming challenges, mastering new skills, or making a difference in students’ lives, your journey as an education agent or student counsellor can inspire others.

The post Navigating the International Education Path: An Education Agent鈥檚 Story of Growth appeared first on 黑料社 Academy.