At Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia, the majority of students engage in paid employment alongside their studies; and, every student has the opportunity to engage with work-integrated learning as a key component of their academic course. This paper explores an innovative structured approach the university has initiated to align these two activities: the "Students as Staff Program." The 2011 Students as Staff evaluation found that 20 per cent of respondents received academic credit for their on-campus employment and more indicated their roles were related to their discipline of study. Additionally, respondents reported feeling significantly engaged with the university and that work on campus had contributed to developing their graduate capabilities. These evaluation results indicate that on-campus employment through a structured program enhances student learning outcomes. This paper discusses key ways in which tertiary institutions can expand their capacity to support and enhance student learning and develop graduate capabilities through on-campus paid work opportunities. [Papers included in this "Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education" ("APJCE") Special Issue stem from selected manuscripts from the Australian Collaborative Education Network Annual Conference 2012.]