Work-integrated learning (WIL) plays a crucial role in introducing students to work environments to enhance employability skills and career readiness. These opportunities are made possible through university-workplace partnerships. Despite the numerous benefits associated with such partnerships, effective initiation and management of partnerships…

Purpose: The study compares how work-integrated learning (WIL) placement positioning, duration, assessment strategies and environment at three Southern African universities influence engineering students' academic and employability outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a qualitative case study approach that drew on the principles…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is recognised as a valuable pedagogical strategy for developing graduate employability, increasing employment prospects and contributing to a range of other learning outcomes. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the degree to which WIL students in higher education, felt they fully engaged in…

This study recognises how Industry 4.0 is influencing labour market demands of graduating students and how ongoing discord between employers and educators regarding their preparation is driving work-integrated learning across the sector. Stakeholder involvement in capability development requires expected performance standards to benchmark students…

This study reports findings from a higher education investment course designed to enhance skills-based learning through experiential, immersive, live, and technologically empowering elements. Results suggest the following performance for the course. First, pure popularity and peer-to-peer word-of-mouth has seen course numbers grow almost 2.5× over…

Despite significant recent changes to the doctoral training environment, particularly provision of employability skills during candidature, there is a paucity of research investigating best practice in this area. This paper describes a case study in how various pedagogical theories, curriculum co-creation, lifelong learner, adult learning,…

To curtail difficulties in higher education relating to students' learning with few or no real-life examples, poor acquisition of practical skills, a lack of confidence concerning their prospective career, and a fear of unemployment, it is imperative to engage students in real-life work environments before graduation. Drawing on the integration of…

This generic qualitative inquiry (GQI) explores experiential learning in higher education for students interested in law enforcement careers. Through interviews and focus group discussions, the study aimed to uncover insights into the perceptions and experiences of students engaging in a university student security program (USSP). The USSP allows…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is widely recognised as significantly contributing to enhancing graduate employability. Empirical evaluation of its impact and value is often confined to work-based WIL (internships/placements/practicums), known to pose challenges with scalability and equitable access. Through the lens of experiential learning, this…

Globally, employability is increasingly becoming an issue of concern in higher education due to demands from the labour market requiring work-ready graduates. In the Global South, particularly South Africa, universities are on a quest to develop competence and improve student employability. This paper is set to investigate the impact of…

The purpose of this case study was to describe the processes used by a high school vocational program to provide vocational training and preparation for postsecondary employment to students with disabilities. This research addresses the deficient circulation of qualitative research regarding vocational training practices used by functioning…

The Australian Government is financially incentivising work integrated learning (WIL) to enhance graduate employability. As such, universities are currently expanding WIL pedagogies and practices from their traditional domain of professional degrees, to be incorporate into almost all university degrees. Using Kemmis' Theory of Practice…

Universities are attempting to respond to recent changes in the employment sector in order to ensure graduates are job ready. One approach for preparing students for the evolving employment sector is to expose them to work-integrated learning experiences during their undergraduate degree. Traditionally, work-integrated learning experiences have…

Embedded Work Integrated Learning (EWIL) is a specific model of Work Integrated Learning (WIL); students work with industry in small blocks of time at regular intervals throughout semester focussing on reflective learning in authentic work environments. This study highlights benefits and challenges experienced when incorporating EWIL into a…

The purpose of this paper is to identify faculty perspectives on the integration of work-related issues in engineering education. A mixed methods approach was used to explore faculty attitudes towards work-related learning, to describe activities related to working life that have been introduced into the curriculum and to identify factors that…