Internships
One of the most well-known forms of WIL, internships are usually supervised and embedded in a workplace. Internships can be paid or unpaid, for credit or not for credit, and can happen in the middle of an academic program or after all academic coursework has been completed and right before graduation. Although they can be as short as four months, internships are usually 12 to 16 months long.
Things to Consider
Bolstering Productivity
- Consider encouraging students to work in teams; this gives them the opportunity to reflect on past learnings, take on challenges as a team, and engage in work that increases productivity.
Innovation
- Innovative ideas help firms remain competitive; create supportive environments where students feel empowered and comfortable to share new ideas and as well as the resources to develop creative solutions.
Building a Skilled Talent Pipeline
- Excellent way to “test-drive” potential hires and recruit motivated individuals upon graduation. Consider recruiting students for longer periods to allow them to develop more skills, increase productivity, while also allowing the firm more time to better evaluate the fit between the student and the organization.
Workforce Management
- The shift to remote work can be challenging; consider ways to help students and the organization interact with each other so that they can still build essential skills commonly learned through face-to-face interactions, as well as build a sense of community.
- Opportunities to mentor and supervise students seeking practical experience can help develop the leadership skills of current employees. Consider having clear, detailed resources for supervisors to access to support their own learning and skill development while participating in WIL
We Need Your Help!
We haven't heard from stakeholders in your industry about the benefits of work-integrated learning. Please share your thoughts, expectations and experiences related to the benefits of work-integrated learning by emailing the BHER team.