Internships are widely recognized within higher education as a useful work-based learning (WBL) approach to enhance student employability. However, there remains a need to understand whether internships provide a developmental experience that includes higher-level (soft) skills such as self-responsibility, flexibility and innovation. Our study…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) has gained significant attention in higher education for its impact on employability. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of WIL research from 2002 to 2023, using data from 1,392 articles indexed in Scopus. The analysis highlights key trends, influential authors, institutions, and collaboration…

In this article we interrogate how University of Sweden (UoS), the leading Work-integrated learning (WIL) university in Sweden, represents WIL publicly, discussing this in relation to higher education's changing role within an increasingly knowledge-based capitalism, in which knowledge and research become subsumed under demands for market utility…

Work integrated learning (WIL) encompasses educational experiences that merge academic knowledge and practical application in a professional setting, benefiting both students and the existing workforce. The objective of incorporating WIL into education is to foster the integration of theoretical understanding by engaging students in a combination…

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…

This paper explores ways to support the wellbeing of neurodivergent individuals participating in co-operative education (co-op). The authors propose a theoretical model for supporting neurodivergent student wellbeing in co-op, based on the current understanding of wellbeing in WIL and interventions for neurodivergent individuals at work and in…

Research supervisors and their higher degree research (HDR) candidates -- including Master, Professional Doctorate, and PhD candidates -- make critical contributions to research and innovation. In addition to providing research training, research supervisors have traditionally also acted as the graduate employability practitioner for their HDR…

Change in the workplace is inevitable, intensified by the rapid development of global markets and demand for highly skilled and adaptable employees. One response to this demand is for higher degree students to immerse in workplace experiences aligned to their course discipline to build their employability. In consideration of higher education and…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) has the capacity to combine academic knowledge with practical experience through specialized programs. While there is extensive literature on WIL, there exists a dearth of research on learners' perspectives, particularly in comparative studies across majors. This study compares the perspectives of 164 engineering…

Assessment and feedback remain one of the biggest challenges when designing work-integrated learning (WIL) programs. Motivated by the paucity of student-facing research, this study explores the student experiences of assessment and feedback on work-placement modules across a variety of programs within a single university. Two hundred and seventy…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an expanding international strategy aimed at bolstering the employability of higher education students. With WIL participation on the rise, there is a growing focus on fostering wellbeing during WIL. Drawing on the sociomaterial theoretical framework actor-network theory (ANT) and the WIL Wellbeing Framework, this…

This article explores the extent to which students of different ethnicities, (dis)abilities, sexes, POLAR groups, and academic abilities undertake Year in Industry (YINI) placements and realise post-placement academic improvements, in comparison with non-YINI students. The benefits of work placements on student employability and graduate prospects…

Purpose: This paper aims to explore perceptions and provides insights, from students who volunteer in policing whilst also studying the college of policing licenced professional policing degree (PPD) in Wales. It examines issues that act as enablers and blockers to volunteering in this public service, which also provides opportunities to develop…

There is an increasing focus on enhancing employability for students in higher education. Yet academics who facilitate and encourage opportunities to support student employability are often doing so with a quiet agility. This paper reflects on my first year coordinating a work-integrated learning program and the development of skills necessary for…

Purpose: Work-study programmes aim to support young adults transitioning from tertiary education to work and contribute to enhancing their employability. The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed analysis of the learning experiences of trainees in work-study programmes within the broad field of engineering. Design/methodology/approach:…