CREDENTIALED AWARDS FOR
CAREER READINESS
Professor Joan Cooper
Higher Education Consultant
WIL Definition
Work-integrated learning refers to the process whereby
students come to learn from experiences in educational
and practice settings and integrate the contributions of
those experiences in developing the understandings,
procedures and dispositions required for effective
professional practice, including criticality. Work-integrated
learning arrangements include the kinds of curriculum and
pedagogic practices that can assist, provide and effectively
integrate learning experiences in both educational and
practice settings.
Billett. S (2009), Realising the educational worth of integrating work experiences in Studies in Higher Education, vol. 34, no. 7, pp. 827-843
Outline of Presentation
• Drivers for addressing work readiness
• Why a Diploma
• Development
• Implementation
• Evaluation
• Challenges
Drivers for work readiness
• Student engagement
• Student feedback
• Employer feedback
Why a Diploma of Professional Practice?
• UNSW aspires to develop globally focused graduates
• UNSW’s B2B speaks of professional graduates
• A qualification as opposed to co-curricular activities
• Competitive advantage
• A formal qualification
• Concurrent diploma
Development
• University wide Diploma
• Need for Blended mode of delivery
• L&T@UNSW involvement
• Education Committee
• Academic Board
• Assessment Rubrics
• Non Academic Staff
• Evaluation Plan
Structure of Diploma
Completed concurrently with your degree
Introduction to Global Citizenship
Introduction to the
Workplace
Professional Practice
1
Introduction to Leadership and Professional Practice
2 Electives
Professional Practice
2
Professional
Practice
Summit
Components of Employability
1. Degree subject knowledge
4. Work & life experience
2. Generic skills
3. Emotional intelligence
5. Career development learning
6.Reflection & evaluation
Building a Portfolio via Course Assessment
Job Applications
Video clips of interview
Organisation analysis
Portfolio
Workplace project
Career Information Interview
Post placement development statement
Portfolio
Leadership analysis
Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
forum
Portfolio
Cultural mind map
Poster, presentation and report on
organisation diversity
Portfolio
Leadership and organisational culture
case study
Placement project
Portfolio
Career Management Plan
Interview and business
case exercise
DPP portfolio
Implementation
• Students’ awareness
• International Students
• Faculty Criteria
• Admissions
• Enrolling
Evaluation
• Evaluation Plan
• Continuous evaluation and improvement
• Review after 18 months of operation
Evaluating the DPP
• Student interest in DPP
Enrolment statistics
• Impact of DPP on main degree program
Overall WAM at entry and completion of courses
Feedback from faculty staff who approve DPP applications
• Development of employability skills
Career Futures Inventory
Leadership workshop S1,
Employer evaluations of placement students
2013
Self evaluations of placement students
Graduate employment outcomes reported by DPP graduates
Graduate Destination Survey GDS
• Learning experience
Course evaluations conducted by course convenors
Survey of students who dropped courses
Course and Teaching Evaluation and Improvement CATEI
Course Experience Questionnaire CEQ
• Quality of Program and Courses
Staff forums (assessment, online course development, course evaluation)
Academic Program Review and Benchmarking
Feedback from Students
• Overall satisfaction ratings from CATEI surveys
CATEI
Introduction to the
Workplace
Introduction to
Global Citizenship
Introduction to
Leadership
PP1
PP2
Capstone
Summer
2012/2013
5
Semester
1 2013
5.18
4.67
5.0
Semester
2 2013
5.32
Summer
2013/2014
5.64
4.92
4.31
4.56
5.33
5.06
6*
4.5*
4*
3*
• * number of respondents<5
• Comments from students – The best features of the course were:
• The practical nature of it since the content and assignments are directly related to the helping
students in the recruitment process. The 3 day workshop was very helpful especially the
careers panel at the end as it allowed me to have my questions answered by professionals
within various fields.
• This course by far had the best feedback system in place of any course that I have attended
at UNSW! The lecturers were of very high standard, each with appropriate histories which
were applicable to all class content. The theory aspect of this course was well integrated into
practical examples, which made sense in a real world instance. Excellent course!!!!
Feedback from Employers
The most positive aspect of hosting a UNSW Professional Practice Placement
was:
• the enthusiasm, energy and entrepreneurial spirit that comes with a UNSW
student. Our recent DPP intern was a valuable asset to World Trade Advisors.
During her internship with the firm, she assisted in writing a International Trade
Centre study on Expanding Trade between India and Pakistan. She further
enhanced our marketing by helping with the new company website and logo
design. I do hope the experience will help her achieve her goals in pursuing her
career interests." Omar Anzur, Managing Partner, World Trade Advisors
• that Shontelle was an absolute pleasure having in our office! She was capable of
all tasks asked of her and was more than happy to help at any time. Our whole
team enjoyed having Shontelle as part of our team. Amber Jones, National
Human Resources Officer, Miracle Babies Foundation
• not only did the student make a valuable contribution to our business processes,
but that we were able to likewise provide the student with some professional
experiences and aide in improving his technical and soft skills. It was a perfect
partnership! Trinah De Leon, Scholar & Schools Administration Officer, UNSW
Co-op Program
18 Month Review
• Wanted it to be rigorous and robust
• Professor Janice Orrell
• Leading Australian Education Consultant specialising in
WIL and assessment
• Orrell, J. (2011). Good practice report: Work-integrated learning
(pp. 83). Strawberry Hills, NSW, Australia: Australian Leaning and
Teaching Council.”
• Orrell J (2004) Work-integrated Learning Programmes:
Management and Educational Quality. Proceedings of the
Australian Universities Quality Forum 2004, AUQA Occasional
Publication
• Orrell, J., Cooper, L., Jones, R. (2003) Making the Practicum
Visible, HERDSA Conference, Melbourne, July (Web-based
publication)
Review
• Terms of reference
• Key issues from students
• Commendations
• Recommendations
• Achievement against indicators
Student key themes
Features of the DPP they appreciated
• Group processes; Working with students from other faculties on group projects and
breaking down the barriers caused by Faculty segregation; Getting to meet leaders and
making a contribution; It is a university qualification; The way it fitted in with their
primary course (on-line, intensives, summer programs). The Staff were always just an
email away and very supportive. Assessment is right on target!
Advice to other students
• Without fail every student either in individual interviews or in groups said they would tell
new student to:
• “Do it”, “go for it” as the program was ‘right on track’.
• One student went so far as to say he would tell them “this course will exercise a muscle
you just don’t use in other courses”.
Advice to the University
• Find the person who thought of it and thank them.
• Consider making it mandatory at the first year level so they can incrementally complete
it.
• The DPP does what the faculties don't.
• They wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t a ‘for credit course’.
Key themes of Commendations
The major commendations were around:
• The high quality of the design and delivery of
the program and its impact
• The Program’s high standards
• The Positive Evaluation of Employers
Regarding the DPP
Key Themes of Recommendations
The major recommendation areas were:
• Assessment enhancement - both types of and
rubrics for
• Management and administration of DPP
• Stakeholder engagement
• Students
• Faculties
• Nuri Gili
• Employers
Summary of Achievement Against Established
Indicators
Indicators
1.
The DPP are sufficiently attractive to generate and
retain enrolment numbers.
1.
The course structure, design and delivery enables
students to meet the program requirements
without jeopardising their program in the primary
degree
The workplace component provides appropriate
and well-supported opportunity for students to
develop employability skills.
The assessment design enables a rigorous and
holistic assessment of student cumulative
learning development and their standard of
achievement of the programs learning outcomes.
Students have a positive perception of their
learning experiences and the quality of teaching in
the DPP courses.
Graduates of the DPP are well equipped for
employment.
An active, engaged learning community of DPP
students and staff work place supervisors and
employer groups are engendered.
The DPP compares favourably with comparable
programs in terms of established quality
benchmarks and standards
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
1.
Progress
Partial achievement. Requires a
marketing program and realistic
targets
Achieved +
Enhances primary course
engagement
Achieved +
Mostly achieved.
Requires minor changes

Less reflective tasks

More inclusive capstone
Achieved +
Achieved
Work in progress
Too early to judge
Requires a plan
A work in progress.
Too early to judge
Challenges
• Approval for a professional Diploma
• Acceptance of an Enterprise Wide Solution
• International Students -CRICOS
• Recruiting Students/Marketing
• General administration and management
• Employer Engagement
Student Stories
One of the assessments for Introduction to the Workplace is an
Organisational Analysis which includes an Information Interview.
• Brenda contacted KPMG and gained an interview with a
manger. As a result of this she was subsequently offered a
graduate position as the staff member at KPMG she
interviewed was very impressed with her ‘bravery’ in making
contact in a professional manner, preparing thoughtful, well
researched questions and presenting herself well.
• Another student was not only offered a placement after his
Information Interview but also sponsorship for an Engineering
Student Society focussed on career development that he
initiated.
Indigenous Graduate
• I started the program having a
vague idea of what I wanted
to achieve in my career and
what motivated me. During
the program I learnt how to
conceptualise my values,
interests and career goals. By
the end of program I had a
clear understanding of my
career goals, what motivated
me, what I valued and more
importantly I learnt the power
of reflection.
A student’s view
The Future of WIL
• Can Australian Universities do more with WIL?
Thank you
www.dpp.unsw.edu.au