Promoting and Facilitating WIL for Small Business

Industry and Community Partner

Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia (Brokerage)

Brokerage

University

Curtin University

Innovative Features

Engaging multiple disciplines
Flexibility in duration, location and space
Increased use of brokers or third parties
Engagement with SME’s

Enablers

CCIWA conducted a research project to identify the reported barriers that prevent their members from hosting a WIL placement. The CCIWA and FBL partnership aimed to overcome these barriers by focusing on enablers to increase WIL participation for hosts and students. The key enablers of this partnership include:

Promoting WIL to CCIWA members and assisting with the identification of suitable projects based on business demand.
Creating a credit-bearing unit so students could complete the 100 to 150 hours of placement as a part of their course. The unit is offered during several study periods across teh course to optimise availability and cater to student needs.
A CCIWA employee has a dual contract with Curtin and CCIWA as a WIL Project Coordinator which is based at Curtin University. This shared position provides greater connection between industry and students and assists matching students to the WIL placement.
The partnership is located within the Learning and Teaching and Student Engagement portfolios at Curtin University, to provide academic support and integration as well as improving the learning experiences and connections for students.
Engaging with student associations and Curtin Guild to champion and promote the WIL placement experience.
Employing a variety of communication and promotion methods to connect with students.

For more information

Please contact Peter Dell from Curtin Business School at p.t.dell@curtin.edu.au

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia (CCIWA) and the Faculty of Business and Law at Curtin University (FBL) have formed a partnership that provides Curtin students across all faculties with the opportunity to participate in a WIL experience with a CCIWA member organisation. CCIWA promotes WIL and the opportunities it affords to its 9000 members in Western Australia, a large percentage of which are small to medium enterprises (SMEs). To increase the likelihood of its members hosting a student for a work placement, CCIWA supports its members through the process, undertaking all the administrative and governance aspects of hosting a student. CCIWA also manages the student recruitment process and provides CCIWA members with a connection to Curtin University which may have otherwise been difficult to establish.

Interested students are screened for eligibility to participate in the credit-bearing WIL activity. Students must have completed at least 200 credits towards their degree, and must have a progress status of ‘good standing’. A suitable unit within the current course structure students are studying needs to be available for which the WIL unit can be substituted. All interested students must attend an interview prior to selection for enrolment.

CCIWA also interviews host organisations to negotiation students WIL placement objectives and deliverables and identify the skill set required by the student. Based on this information CCIWA aims to match a student with a WIL host. These processes mean CCIWA members can host a student on WIL placement, focusing on outcomes of the placement rather than administration requirements.

Impact / outcomes

Students: The CCIWA and CBS partnership attracts engaged students from across disciplines and faculties. CCIWA’s knowledge of industry, current recruitment practices and areas of demand are leading to high rates of student employment following the WIL placements. Students gain the opportunity to practice their technical skills and implement the theory they have learned at university in a real-world setting.

Host Organisations: CCIWA and FBL undertake the administration, governance and recruitment processes, significantly reducing workload for the host organisation. The host organisation benefits from students skills, expertise and enthusiasm.

Teaching Staff: The CCIWA WIL Project Coordination based at Curtin University manages the administration, governance and recruitment processes, which reduces the workload of academic staff who can focus on the learning experiences and academic support for students. Teaching staff may leverage from the partnerships facilitated by CCIWA.

Student Assessment

The student assessment is more career preparatory focused, rather than focusing on academic discipline knowledge that has been developed elsewhere throughout the degree.

Students complete a self-evaluation task at the beginning of the placement and upon completion, which feeds through to the host organisation to review and provide feedback, replicating a process similar to a performance review.

Students also complete two professional reports – one on the industry of their host organisation and another on their discipline.

Students participate in a blog or attend a Touch Point Session to connect with their peers also undertaking placement. Students are also required to complete a resume, a LinkedIn profile and to develop a career plan after meeting with a Curtin Career Development Consultant.