Gaining real-world experience while you study is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your career. Whether you’re completing a compulsory placement as part of your degree or seeking out an internship to explore an industry, hands-on experience sets you apart when it comes time to enter the workforce.
Here, we’ll help you understand the different types of industry work experience available to university students in Australia, how they work, and how to make the most of them.
Gain valuable professional experience, develop your skills in a workplace setting and make industry connections.
An internship is short-term work experience within an organisation, primarily focused on learning rather than output. As an intern, you might assist with projects, carry out research, provide support or shadow experienced staff across different parts of the business.
Internships can take place during the semester, over university breaks, or even after you have completed your coursework. They range from a few weeks to several months in length, and can be part-time or full-time.
Internships and work experience are formal experiences aligned with your studies, where you develop professional skills. If the experience is built into your course and assessed for academic credit, it’s considered Work Integrated Learning (WIL), rather than sitting as a standalone, extracurricular activity.
Internships can be paid or unpaid, and the distinction usually comes down to the industry and structure of the program.
Paid internships are often seen in organisations that offer structured programs that provide a stipend or full salary.
Industries that typically offer these types of paid internships are engineering, IT, finance, accounting and corporate business.
Unpaid internships are more typical in creative fields, media, non-profit organisations and start-ups, where the emphasis is on learning and gaining industry experience.
Find out what you need to find work in Australia as an international student.
The length of an internship depends on the employer, the program and how it fits around your studies. Common timeframes include:
Internships most commonly occur in your second or final year, once you’ve developed foundational knowledge in your field.
Minh - RMIT Bachelor of Business (Professional Practice) student from Vietnam undertaking a year-long internship with Advance Vision Technology.
The experience has strengthened his soft skills, and taught him a lot about which direction he wants to take his career.
Throughout the last 10 months, I’ve learned a lot of new stuff, and it’s helped me navigate where I want to develop my career post-uni. “Because of my internship, I’ve now realised I want to find something in sales or marketing, as I'm an extrovert and wouldn’t be afraid to talk to anyone!
A placement is a structured work experience that’s formally integrated into your degree. Unlike an internship you might independently arrange, a placement is part of your curriculum, supervised by both a workplace mentor and university staff, and assessed for academic credit.
Placements exist to give you professional training in a real context and, in many cases, to meet the standards required by industry accreditation bodies.
Some placements are clinical (such as in nursing or allied health), while others involve supervised practice in professional workplaces or structured field education in community settings.
At RMIT, school-specific placement models reflect the requirements of each discipline, with health-related placements forming a cornerstone of industry-relevant education and training in those areas.
Placement duration varies significantly depending on your degree and, for some courses, the requirements of your profession.
Placements and other WIL activities can range from a few days or weeks through to several months, and are often scheduled within the university semester as part of your enrolled subjects.
Placements are a mandatory component of many professional degrees in Australia, including:
This is because the professional bodies that accredit these degrees require you to demonstrate a minimum level of supervised practical experience before you can graduate and enter the profession.
In many professionally accredited courses, placements are a compulsory component and may be required for graduation and professional registration. In other courses, they’re for credit but not always mandatory.
At RMIT, courses embed industry experience directly into your studies. This can take the form of formal placements, industry projects or structured WIL subjects that count toward your degree.
Internships or work experience are formal experiences aligned to your studies. They may or may not be assessed for credit, depending on how they are arranged.
Placements are a common format of WIL, particularly in professional or clinical contexts, where supervision and structured learning are central.
These 3 terms are related but distinct, and they’re often used interchangeably in ways that can be confusing.
| Feature | Internship | Traineeship |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Gain industry exposure and explore career options | Fulfil professional training or accreditation requirements |
| Integration | Often optional or self-arranged, may sit outside coursework | Compulsory component of the degree integrated into curriculum |
| Supervision | Varies, usually employer-led with minimal university involvement | Supervised by a workplace mentor and university staff |
| Assessment | May or may not be assessed for academic credit | Formally assessed and contributes to your grade |
| Duration | Typically 4–16 weeks, flexible timing | Determined by degree or professional body requirements |
| Credit eligibility | Credit possible if approved as an elective | Usually earns academic credit toward graduation |
| Compensation | May be paid or unpaid depending on sector | Typically unpaid, focus is on supervised professional learning |
Placements tend to be more structured, more formal and more tightly connected to your academic course.
Internships offer more flexibility and variety, but also vary in how they’re supervised and whether they count toward your degree.
International students can complete internships and placements in Australia, but it’s important to understand how your student visa conditions apply.
Always check your current visa conditions before starting any form of work or work experience.
Finding an internship takes preparation and persistence. Here are some tips to help your search:
Building your professional network while you study is just as important as the experience itself. RMIT offers a range of events and programs designed to connect you with industry professionals, such as Career Connect.
Networking doesn’t have to feel formal. Conversations at events, LinkedIn connections and follow-up emails after guest lectures can all open doors to opportunities.
An internship is a great opportunity to network and this can be valuable later in your career.
Tracy O’Shaughnessy - Program Manager, Master of Writing and Publishing
A strong application requires preparation. Get ready to apply for internships and placements with these tips:
Learn more about RMIT courses and employment support for international students.
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Gain valuable professional experience, develop your skills in a workplace setting and make industry connections.
Learn what you need to find work in Australia as a local or international student.
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