Should work-integrated learning become a compulsory part of university courses?

Skill-based experience and knowledge are becoming increasingly essential to candidates looking for work in the competitive job market. Employers are seeking applicants who are work-ready with an impressive skillset, putting pressure on candidates to balance qualifications with relevant industry experience. However, university and higher education graduates are emerging from their studies without the necessary experience to gain meaningful employment –  this creates a dilemma where students are blocked from getting experience because they don’t already have any experience. 

One way to combat this issue could be to make work-integrated learning (WIL) such as internships and work placements compulsory components of university courses. Reports such as the Australian Collaborative Education Network’s (ACEN) National Strategy on Work Integrated Learning in University Education outline that WIL can be beneficial to students, institutions and employers in creating useful working partnerships between industries and the next wave of workers. Various roundtables involving government agencies and industry sectors have been established to promote the importance of WIL in creating a workforce-ready graduating cohort that is adequately prepared for life after education.

Here, we discuss why WIL should and should not become a feature of the Australian education climate. 

Why WIL should be compulsory 

Allows students to consolidate what they’ve learnt at university

Undertaking work experience in the relevant industry during university gives students the chance to develop and adapt the skills they’ve established throughout their course. WIL allows students to contextualise the theory they’ve learnt at university and apply it to practical, real-world situations that they confront in the workplace. This bridges the gap between preparation for and the transition into life after university.  

Builds work-ready candidates

Employers continually value applicants who are workforce-ready. Undertaking WIL can help students build good work habits such as productivity, resilience and communication before they graduate, meaning they’ll be ready to enter the workplace after university. 

Promotes networking

Having someone to call upon in your industry is a bonus when you’re about to graduate. WIL allows students to build rapport with the people and companies that they’re working for – it’s useful to have these connections at the ready when entering the competitive job market. 

Benefits institutions and employers

Encouraging students to take units of WIL during their tertiary studies is a great way for universities to ensure that they are adequately preparing their graduating cohorts with the skills and experience necessary for life after study. Providing students with relevant and useful curriculum allows universities to market themselves as producers of skilled and experienced graduates who emerge from the institution workforce-ready. This is crucial in the higher education world, where universities are continually seeking to appeal to the complex interests and ambitions of prospective students. Employers can also benefit from WIL partnerships with universities, as they gain access to a pool of qualified and enthusiastic workers who can boost productivity. Such programs can provide employers with prospective employees who they know hold the relevant qualifications and experience to work effectively in their industry. 

Why WIL should not be compulsory 

Exploitative nature of some WIL

While work placements are increasingly being rewarded as paid work, unethical perceptions of internships still exist. The material benefits of internships for both the employer and the intern can be off balance – workplaces can get more out of the worker than what was agreed. Some companies establish internship programs that exploit the intern by making them complete menial tasks that are irrelevant to their interests with no monetary reimbursement. The unpaid nature of some WIL programs can leave students in untenable positions where they struggle to afford basic living provisions. This can leave some students in danger of dropping out of their tertiary studies altogether. However, steps have been taken to ensure mandatory pay for forms of WIL such as internships and work experience.  

Demand greater than supply

The issue with encouraging WIL among university cohorts is that there simply may not be enough internships and placements to cater for everyone. While new jobs are continually being created, many of these employment opportunities may not exist for years to come. What already exists in the job market may not be enough to satisfy a mass of qualified employees who are looking for meaningful experience – this fuels a vicious cycle where students are seeking out WIL opportunities but can’t secure them for the simple reason that there’s just not enough to go around. 

Importance of gaining industry-specific experience

While any work experience is seen as better than none, it is important that students do have some practice in an industry relevant to their course. Students can sometimes undertake internships that don't have much to do with their university studies – this means that they may not be well-enough equipped for a career in their desired industry by the time they graduate. It is essential that universities and students ensure that any WIL programs undertaken are appropriate for a pupil’s degree.