image_pdfimage_print

1. Purpose

This purpose of the Employability Policy (“policy”) is to promote and embed employability as an integral part of curriculum design and the student experience at the Institution to:
a. develop student competency in the graduate capabilities;
b. support the Institution’s vision as Australia’s Leading Industry Focused University College; and
c. measure outcomes and impact of employability initiatives.

This policy is supported by the Employability Procedures – Work Integrated Learning (WIL).

2. Scope

The scope of this policy applies to all staff and students, student representatives, industry and community partners, and employers.

Employability is seen as a shared responsibility applying to:
a. all staff through learning and teaching activities and the delivery of the student experience inside and outside the curriculum;
b. industry and community partners through informed practice including as mentors, placement hosts and as co-contributors to curriculum design and delivery; and
c. students and graduates through engagement with, and continued commitment to, their personal and professional development.

3. Definitions

See Glossary of Terms.

4. Policy statements

4.1 Principles

4.1.1 This policy is based on the principles of inclusion, collaboration and engagement.

4.1.2 The Institution is committed to ensure employability:
a. is embedded across the Institution and all courses of study, allowing all student cohorts the opportunity to participate;
b. leverages the collective expertise of staff, industry and community and students in its development and evaluation;
c. builds mutually beneficial outcomes for students, the Institution, industry and community;
d. is supported by a portfolio to allow students to capture the development of expertise, reflect upon their learning and articulate to others what they have learned; and
e. is evaluated regularly through a review and mapping of all employability activities and outcomes, prioritising actions and measuring impact.

4.2 Approach

4.2.1 The Institution approaches employability as both an outcome and a process.

4.2.2 Employability as an outcome is about how the Institution measures the work-readiness of students by their ability to secure employment before and after graduation. Employability outcome measures include:
a. national and international benchmarking survey data of graduate outcomes;
b. internal and commissioned graduate outcome and student employment surveys;
c. student participation rates, completion rates and satisfaction in WIL subjects (known at the Institution as ‘Professional Placement’ or ‘Internship’);
d. analysis of the feedback received from, and the overall satisfaction of, industry and community partners that engage students on Placement; and
e. any associated academic and learning analytics that capture and track the development of emerging work-ready capabilities and competencies.

4.2.3 Employability as a process is embedded in the curriculum and student experience in our key areas of activity across the Institution:

a. All subjects, via a range of learning activities including;

  • authentic, business related case studies (emphasising global and international perspectives) to establish links between theory and practice;
  • online or virtual work integrated learning (WIL) with real clients or industry organisations;  
  • guest lecturers bringing authentic learning into the classroom;
  • alumni presentations or vignettes relating the learning to future roles;
  • industry-partnered projects and assessments that involve industry, community or professional partners;
  • industry and community site visits and excursions;
  • other subject based learning designed to engage students in real world applications including entrepreneurial proposals, cross disciplinary projects, simulations and inquiry on behalf of industry and community partners such as market research;
  • learning activities otherwise consistent with the Institution’s Learning and Teaching Policy.

b. WIL subjects (known at the Institution as ‘Professional Placement’ or ‘Internship’) which comprise a Placement and are;

  • compulsory subjects in the course curriculum;
  • monitored and directed by staff including academic supervision against defined, expected learning outcomes which integrate theory and practice and facilitate self-reflection and critical analysis;
  • formally assessed towards the award of a grade, consistent with the Institution’s assessment framework;
  • regularly evaluated, consistent with policies on the review of subjects, student experience and course quality assurance;
  • delivered through adequate facilities and infrastructure to support the student’s success, including supporting diversity and equity considerations; 
  • supported by a student preparation program including workshops, on-line modules, guidelines, mentoring and mock scenarios aimed at preparing students for Placement and informing students about professional expectations and their personal responsibilities;
  • supported by a quality assurance process to ensure appropriate industry and community partners are engaged for Placements and are informed about their responsibilities;
  • supported by a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process, allowing students to demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes via a range of employability actions including those listed under paragraphs 4.2.3a-d; and
  • WIL that forms part of the requirements for professional accreditation is fit for that purpose and is clearly and accurately described. .

c. Co-curricular and extra-curricular Institutional activities via participation in;

  • student clubs and associations;
  • student representation and leadership including student representative council, residential assistants, student ambassadors and peer assisted learning;
  • the professional scholarship program;
  • career fairs, industry presentations and recruitment seminars;
  • masterclasses;
  • events where high-profile guests present to the Institution’s community; and
  • any activity where students display their engaged citizenship in the Institution’s community such as student forums, open day, orientation week and the mentoring of colleagues.

d. Community engagement activities via participation in;

  • volunteer work in community-based organisations;
  • part-time and casual employment with local organisations;
  • community clubs and associations;
  • professional and industry associations; and
  • any activity such as social and entrepreneurial enterprises where students display their engaged citizenship in the broader community.

5. Roles and responsibilities

5.1 The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic planning and resourcing of employability as a key Institutional vision.

5.2 The President and Managing Director is responsible for appropriately resourcing the management of employability actions and ensuring senior executive/s are designated responsibility for employability across all portfolios at the Institution.

5.3 The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Employability) and Registrar is responsible for the operationalisation of this policy across all learning and teaching activities.

5.4 The Academic Board is responsible for the approval of the Employability Policy and for monitoring all employability activities and data across the Institution.

5.5 The Course and Subject Committee is responsible for ensuring all courses that deliver employability support, processes and outcomes are regularly reviewed, evaluated and supported. It also reviews subjects pertaining to WIL and professional placement.

5.6 The Chief Quality Officer is responsible for monitoring all evaluation activities and outcome data on employability.

5.7 Academic staff are responsible for the delivery of assessment and learning experiences that integrate subject-level employability actions; being industry engaged; designing tasks for, and promoting, student portfolios as a both a process and measure of employability outcomes; and undertaking induction and training as required.

5.8 Program Managers are responsible for the monitoring of employability trends with their discipline(s) and providing feedback to the course review cycle.

5.9 The WIL Office is responsible for various operational aspects in the delivery of WIL subjects including:
a. securing quality assured industry and community partners to engage eligible students on Placement;
b. preparation programs including workshops, on-line modules, guidelines, mentoring and mock scenarios that prepare students for Placement;
c. the provision of guidance and mentoring of students on Placement, and reporting issues or incidents consistent with the Institution’s policies and procedures;
d. supporting the development of assessments and/or supporting the academic supervision where applicable, consistent with the Institution’s assessment framework;
e. managing the monitoring and evaluation of WIL subjects, consistent with the Institution’s policies on the review of subjects, student experience, course progression and course quality assurance;
f. managing the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process as it relates to WIL subjects, consistent with the Institution’s policies; and
g. gathering and analysing feedback from industry and community partners engaging students on Placement in order to inform continuous improvement.

5.10 The Employability Procedures – Work Integrated Learning (WIL) provides a framework for the operation of WIL subjects, particularly matters connected with the Placement aspect of WIL subjects.

5.11 The WIL Office also provides:
a. industry and community contacts to faculty staff for subject-level employability actions as required;
b. feedback to faculty from industry and community partners to inform assessment design and learning experiences;
c. input to the relevant Institutional governance bodies including the Learning and Teaching Committee and the Course and Subject Committee;
d. organisation of career fairs, industry presentations, recruitment seminars and other related industry engagement opportunities;
e. on-going guidance to the Institution’s staff to ensure co-curricular and extra-curricular activities emphasis an employability focus;
f. assistance to students in recognising all co-curricular, extra-curricular and community engagement activities as employability actions to be captured in the students’ portfolio; and
g. induction and training programs as required to ensure faculty staff understand their roles and responsibilities as they relate to employability.

5.12 When engaging with the Institution on employability, industry and community partners are responsible for an awareness of and compliance with all relevant policies and procedures. In particular, when engaging a student on Placement, a partner is aware and accepting of their obligations in the delivery of the WIL subject (i.e. professional placement) including their acknowledgement in the relevant partner agreement which covers roles and responsibilities, monitoring of and reporting upon student progress and workplace insurance and health and safety obligations.

5.13 Students are responsible for being aware of and compliant with all relevant policies and procedures. They are also responsible for engaging professionally with workplace supervisor/s and colleagues and all industry and community partners.

6. Related documents
Employability Procedures – Work Integrated Learning (WIL)

Approved by Academic Board on 12 April 2024