Introduction
Most Australian universities have recently strengthened their commitment to WIL through adding WIL to their strategic directions and re-shaping areas of the university to better manage and support WIL provision. This is occurring in the context of both an appreciation of Australia’s labour and skills challenges as well as a greater recognition of the workplace as a unique and valuable learning environment for students. This paper explores how Australian Universities are presently conceiving WIL and attempts to draw some connections to Career Development Learning. Finally, this paper discusses some of the key challenges universities face in extending WIL provision to all fields of education.
Why the interest in WIL?
The current interest in WIL in higher education is closely linked to governments’ and industries’ concern with lifting workplace participation and productivity, addressing skills and labour shortages and keeping pace with increasing demand and intensifying international competition. Australia is facing major labour and skills shortages but has near to full employment with record low unemployment. In addition, an aging workforce means that there is an increasing need to keep the skills of employees current and relevant while they continue working.
All sectors of education are being asked to respond to Australia’s labour and skills challenges. WIL has long been used as a pathway for work-readiness in professional education. Increasingly, however, WIL is being positioned as one of the key opportunities for improving the work-readiness of all graduates even in areas that have not traditionally been linked to clear employment outcomes.