Work-integrated learning (WIL) strengthens students’ employability by combining academic theory with contemporary workplace practice.
Students get to put theory into practice and explore potential career pathways, while industry can support students’ professional development and classroom learning.
There are two main ways in which your organisation can support our WIL offerings:
- host a student on a WIL internship
- provide an industry challenge for students to tackle in a consultancy project.
Internships
WIL internships (or industry placements) are available to final-year Business, Economics and Law students when undertaken as part of an approved course.
Internships must provide at least 120 hours of degree-relevant, supervised work-based learning, for which students receive course credit.
How students complete the hours can be negotiated between you and the student. For example, a student could complete a four-week block over summer or work for two days a week during the semester, as long as the arrangement suits both parties.
Advertise your WIL internship opportunities
- UQ CareerHub: UQ’s free online jobs board is a good option if you prefer a more formal recruitment and selection process or have multiple placement opportunities available. More information on how to register on CareerHub and advertise specifically to BEL students is available here.
- Join our contact list: Our ‘warm leads’ list contains contact details of companies that have agreed to be approached directly by Business, Economics and Law students about internship opportunities. This list is great for smaller organisations able to host one or two students a year without wanting to formally advertise their opportunities. The list is shared with WIL-eligible BEL students only.
Important dates for WIL internships
Semester 1: mid-February to end of May
We recommend that you advertise your opportunities from the previous October, as students may begin their internships before the semester starts, (provided the placement has been approved by UQ). All Semester 1 internships must be approved by the end of January.
Semester 2: mid-July to end of October
To attract candidates in time for Semester 2, we recommend advertising by the beginning of May. All internships and required paperwork must be formally approved by the end of June.
Consulting projects
Final-year Business, Economics and Law students can participate in an industry consulting project, based on a real-world industry challenge provided by an industry partner.
Over a 13-week period in either Semester 1 (mid-February to end of May) or Semester 2 (mid-July to end of October), with the support of a UQ mentor, students work in teams to develop a tailored response to your project brief. Students are not located at your workplace, and a flexible engagement schedule can be developed for each project.
For further information on Work-integrated learning internships or consultancy projects, download the WIL flyer or contact employability@bel.uq.edu.au.