The explicit linking of institutional funding to in-curricular industry engagement and graduate employment affirms the strategic importance of enhancing graduate employability in Australia. Key strategies to enhance graduate employability and employment outcomes are work-integrated learning (WIL) (where students engage with industry as part of…

For most young people, social capital plays an important role in transitioning to postsecondary education and employment. For youth who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), social capital can mitigate negative effects of challenges they will likely encounter after high school. In phase 2 of a two-phase qualitative study in Australia, we investigated…

Purpose: Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an integral part of hospitality curriculums in Australia. Experiencing stress during WIL is expected, as students try to balance work and other responsibilities. Previous studies have usually examined the negative impact of stress on individuals. By referring to relevant theories, this paper argues the…

Postsecondary cooperative (PSE co-op) education is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience, for which Ontario is termed a "hot bed." Adopting a mixed-methods design, this study explores the status and characteristics of Ontario's PSE co-op in the national and the global contexts through…

This Position Paper explores some of the assumptions that underpin the dependence on physical WIL placements. The authors focus on the fundamental question of what exactly we are preparing students for -- is it the workplace, or should we think more broadly about preparing students for the workforce? This raises other questions around the…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is regarded as an important vehicle to assist students' development of relevant professional skills, knowledge and attributes that can enhance their employability. WIL arrangement for international students is a challenging issue for institutions, international students themselves as well as other related…

The integration of work experience and learning in tertiary education is a complex issue for different stakeholders, including students, institutions, and employers. The provision of course-related work experience for international students is far more challenging as it involves issues of visa status, different cultural expectations,…

Increasing the pathways between vocational and higher education is a central concern of Australian governments. Governments want more pathways to support occupational progression, skills deepening and social inclusion. They consider that the number of pathways and number of students traversing them to be inadequate, and have commissioned many…

Developed for users of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY), this user guide consolidates information about the LSAY 2009 cohort into one document. The guide aims to address all aspects of the LSAY data including: how to access the data; data restrictions; variable naming conventions; the structure of the data; documentation;…

The Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth (LSAY) is a research program that tracks young people as they move from school into further study, work and other destinations. This "User guide" has been developed for users of the LSAY data. The guide endeavours to consolidate existing technical documentation and other relevant information…

Working in some capacity is almost considered de rigueur for tertiary students. The reasons for working and the impact this has on both an individual's ability to complete their studies and on their post-study labour market outcomes are only recently receiving attention. Using the 1995 and 1998 cohorts of the Longitudinal Surveys of Australian…

This article discusses the findings of a research project which examined the participation in workplace learning of Australian school students in the post-compulsory years. The study was carried out in two States, New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia (SA), in the latter part of 2000. Primarily focusing upon work experience, formal vocational…

When tested, 23 male postsecondary students displayed unsophisticated conceptions of learning and poor learning outcomes on a problem task. No differences were found between students with work experience and those coming from secondary education. Their limited knowledge base compared to experts suggests that training initiatives may not work. (SK)

"Framing the Future" is a major staff development initiative of the Australian National Training Authority. The initiative supports people in the vocational education and training (VET) sector who are involved in implementing the National Training Framework. "Framing the Future" encourages VET practitioners to take…

Interviews with 14 Australian students and 6 graduates of a vocational college showed that, although 5 of the graduates felt their learning transferred to the workplace, there was a distinction between school-based and workplace learning. Transfer was enhanced when they were given meaningful tasks and encouraged to use learning at work. (SK)