Seminar on work-based learning that benefits the student and the workplace 

 
 

Community sector NGOs, business and industry groups, local and NT government, individual employers, Charles Darwin University (CDU) staff and students are invited to a seminar on ‘Work-based Learning for Mutual Benefit’.

The seminar will be presented by Frank Lyons, a visiting fellow from Portsmouth University in the U.K. Frank has written several books, numerous papers and has years of experience in work based learning partnerships.

Work based learning provides opportunities for students to enhance their learning by putting classroom theory into workplace practice. It complements traditional university education by preparing students for their future work environment. Students also develop lifelong learning skills such as critical thinking, written and oral communication, teamwork, problem-solving, managing and organising.

Employers sometimes shy away from work placements as they are concerned about the amount of time required for planning suitable activities and supervising the student. But work based learning goes deeper; it benefits both the student and the workplace.

A work-based learning project is designed collaboratively by the student and the workplace with guidance from the lecturer. The project has specific, assessable outcomes that are useful to the organisation, business or government department. Employers also benefit from the new ideas and new ways of thinking that a university student can bring to the workplace.

Work based learning produces graduates that have key work-relevant skills as well as a broader range of attributes that facilitate innovation and flexibility. Graduates are thus more workplace-ready and more employable.

Examples of work-based learning might include a scoping study for a non-government community organisation, a marketing strategy for a small business, a survey for a tourism business, an environmental water quality monitoring project for local government or a GIS mapping project for the Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts.

The seminar will focus on practical questions about work based learning such as:

  • How do we design suitable projects that fit a timeframe?
  • How do we ensure the project benefits the student and the workplace?
  • What kind of projects suit different levels of study?
  • What preparation and support does the student need?
  • What preparation and support does the workplace need?

The seminar will be held on Wednesday 2 August from 5.30 to 7pm in room 31.3.03 on the top floor of Building 31 above the Cafeteria and will include an opportunity for questions. Access is by the stairs or the lift beside Security (past the Post Office).  A map of Casuarina Campus shows Building 31 and parking locations. All parking is free at this time.

For further information or to RSVP please contact Linda Cuttriss, Coordinator Community Engagement, at linda.cuttriss@cdu.edu.au or phone 8946 6336.

By Linda Cuttriss