About Work Integrated Learning

Clare Golder (centre), Bachelor of Business (Marketing), Wheels and Games Marketing Assistant, Mattel Pty Ltd.
"One of the best aspects of the co-op program is that it is allowing me to gain valuable experience in an environment that is mentoring me and embracing my continual learning."

Employers have high expectations of graduates. They want graduates to have strong technical and academic skills as well as the ability to work effectively with others. Employers value the discipline-related skills that students acquire at university or TAFE and strongly value the ability to apply these to the workplace. Employers want students who can readily fit into and work well in an organisation. This means that they want graduates who have the capability to communicate effectively with others, plan and organise their work, solve problems, work in teams, use technology effectively, be committed to lifelong learning, be able to manage themselves and show initiative and creativity.

The Work Integrated Learning (WIL) opportunities offered in RMIT Business programs equip students to meet this demand. WIL is the term given to an activity or program that integrates academic learning with its application in the workplace, that is, it combines theory with practice. There are a range of WIL opportunities offered in Business programs including:

paid co-operative education placements: range from two semesters to 12 months of working in industry. The placement can be in Australia or overseas. Students become an employee of the organisation and receive a wage. Read more about Co-operative Education.

voluntary placements: may range from one course to one semester and differ from co-op placements in that they are not paid. They offer students the opportunity to gain work experience and on-the-job organisational training often in a not-for-profit or community based organisation.

professional skills program: is comprised of a combination of skills training and workplace learning which helps students to develop professional skills required in a business environment. Read more about the Professional Skills Program.

industry projects may take the form of a research project; organisational problem solving project or any other form of substantial project on which the student works in liaison with industry. Read more about industry based projects

• Information for employers
• Information for prospective students
• Information for current students

Read about other examples of WIL at RMIT Business.

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