The provision of WIL is useful to undergraduates in terms of non-academic learning and
career development, particularly when such programs are structured to enable sufficient
opportunities for student involvement, along with accurate evaluation of their value and
effectiveness. Both immediately after their placement and at least six months further on,
SSIRPP students did not overwhelmingly endorse their degree in sufficiently preparing them
for the WIL. However, students very strongly endorsed the other two assessed learning
aspects. In addition, students felt that the WIL experience better prepared them for a
professional work environment, and that they had gained excellent insights into their chosen
WIL industry through working alongside professionals in their field. However, the cohort
was concerned about their employability and significantly downgraded their initial
impressions of the value of the WIL, with respect to the knowledge gained being relevant to
their future careers. In summary, science undergraduates need better preparation for WIL
programs, through inculcation of a more grounded understanding of the purpose of a
university education, and importantly, through the design and implementation of a work
skills development program to maximize the longer term effectiveness of their WIL
placement.