Multiple benefits may be gained from academic staff undertaking pracademic experiences as part of their continuing professional development. A pracademic experience may increase collaborations between practitioners, academics and their tertiary institutions in terms of research and teaching. Academics can demonstrate the relevance, significance,…

This chapter describes applied work-based learning, situates participation against student employment, provides features of effective applied work-based learning experiences, examines evidence of effects, and discusses challenges to implement and sustain effective experiences.

Over the year, Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) tracked state activity, cataloged final state policy actions, and categorized trends based on the policy areas of focus. "State Policies Impacting CTE: 2023 Year in Review" provides an analysis that spans 47 states that enacted 115 policies, which…

We study whether the completion of an optional professional year placement during undergraduate studies enhances job quality, in terms of earnings, job security and career fit, for economics graduates from a UK university. Using linear and discrete choice models, we estimate the effect of doing a professional year placement on four graduate…

Work-integrated learning (WIL) placements seek to improve employability for all, but increasing evidence suggests equity groups see significant barriers in accessing WIL, in part due to existing barriers to work and study. This project sought to investigate the experiences of students with disabilities in engineering and IT WIL through a…

Articulating clear and achievable expectations is fundamental to both education and organizational management. In this article, we provide a simple intervention for clarifying expectations--and establishing that these expectations have been understood--which proved beneficial both to community college interns and to their internship mentors in…

Purpose: This study aims to undertake a theoretical and technical exploration of the literature on Work Readiness (WR) through the implementation of a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. The present study addresses seven distinct research questions: (1) an examination of the descriptive features characterizing the literature on…

The landscape of work continues to evolve post-pandemic, leading to a shift in focus within higher education from discipline-specific knowledge and skills to capabilities that are transferable and reflect real-world complexities. A review of higher education to meet future economic and social trends and skill sets is a feature of many countries…

In response to the need for graduates to tackle global, complex problems, higher education is increasing attention towards approaches that cross the boundaries of disciplinary thinking. However, while students can benefit from learning across disciplines, employability practitioners can also benefit. Transdisciplinary approaches can prompt…

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) experiences, integral for equipping students with the skills and knowledge crucial for employment and success in their chosen careers, have traditionally been associated with accreditation requirements in professional programs. More recently, acknowledging the importance of WIL experiences in non-professional…

The underrepresentation of boys from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australian universities continues despite recent gains in widening participation. This article presents a case study documenting the transition of one Indigenous student, Robbie, from an underprivileged school located in the Western suburbs of Sydney to an urban…

Despite the growing demand and availability of non-degree workforce training, outcomes for these programs are mixed. For some, non-degree programs are a faster, more affordable pathway to a good job, and, more importantly, a career that offers economic security--they represent the future of education. But for others, non-degree programs are a…

This article explores the key challenges experienced by employers, employees and academics during work-based learning (WBL) programmes. Higher education institutes (HEIs) and external employer organizations are increasingly recognizing the benefits of engaging in WBL partnerships. These collaborations offer significant benefits to employers,…

Purpose: This article explains how business internships can be used to develop innovation skills in undergraduates. Design/methodology/approach: Using work-integrated learning and current literature on innovation, this article proposes a theoretical framework to design, implement, and measure outcomes of Innovation-Focused Internships (IFIs). The…

UK universities are increasingly focusing on employability and internationalisation strategies, resulting in the promotion and integration of an optional or compulsory Professional Training Year (PTY) within degree programmes. The University of Surrey encourages students to undertake a PTY in the third year of undergraduate study, either in the UK…