Students in learning institutions are better advised to complete the work-based learning, work-based education and employment readiness programs as soon as they arrive on campus, ie in the freshman year. You should be constantly involved throughout your studies. The program is quickly becoming the core of all majors around the world.
The World Association of Cooperative Education (WACE) is the global organization dedicated to the integration of work-integrated learning and work-integrated education into all degrees and diplomas. The goal is a seamless transition from the world of learning and education to the world of work.
In South Africa we have the Southern African Society for Cooperative Education (SASCE) which is made up of academic and industrial practitioners. It hosts a biennial continental conference called WIL Africa to advance collaborative education and work-based learning across the continent. SASCE and WACE collaborate on a number of initiatives, including the annual global WACE conference hosted by various member universities.
The nature of the programs conducted as part of the program must be relevant to the industries that the educational institutions’ graduates are likely to take up. They must aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice throughout the study period.
General activities are organized and conducted on and off campus by the institutions’ Cooperative Education Departments, for example industry visits, guest lectures by industry practitioners, visits to career fairs and exhibitions, industry-specific workshops, seminars and conferences, on-the-job learning during vacations, work-ready -Programs such as writing resumes, the application process, conducting interviews, researching industries and companies suitable for the graduate’s career aspiration, etc.
For the institutions that have joined the program, partnering with industry in providing practical P1 and P2 work is a natural practice. The training contributes credit points to the qualification. The program follows a well-formulated integration of theoretical lectures and industry learning.
There are many reasons why the companies would work with the educational institutions and participate in the programs. Among other things, the opportunity for learners to network with industry practitioners, providing students with reliable sources of information in their career choices, companies as a source of recruitment for new talent, an acceptable standard for the transition from the educational institutions to the world of work, both the institutions and the industry are interested in the graduates who have clearly justified their career choice, and this makes the placement successful.
The above points bring us to the most important goal, which is the job readiness of the graduates. The Employment Readiness Program is extremely important and requires special attention. How a graduate gets into their first job depends on their transition management and maturity level. This is her second toughest transition after transitioning from high school to university/college.
There are many potential fault lines that require a mentor to help graduates navigate them. It is impossible to overcome this hurdle without the guidance of a mentor. For the first time, the graduate learns whether his choice of study and career was right or not. You should have mastered the logical transition steps that cover the basic tasks such as identifying the industry and company to apply for the first job, choosing the type of job, choosing career direction, creating a compelling resume, and preparing for include the interview, shopping for appropriate company clothing, etc.
The arrival in the working world is the beginning of a great personal responsibility. It is the beginning of a long journey into corporate life. This journey can be good or bad depending on your level of readiness or lack thereof. At this point, the graduate and their sponsors (family or other funders) want to confirm the return on their educational investment.
The role of the mentor during the WIL and HOW phases should not be underestimated. It’s absolutely necessary on that last mile of the graduate’s educational journey. The mentor should accompany the graduate in this critical phase of his holistic human capital development. The graduate must view the mentoring arrangement as a crucial investment and not an expense. The foundation upon which corporate life can be built must be solid.
Thanks to Sam Tsima | #Workintegrated #learning #WIL #workintegrated #education #WIE #willingness #work