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WIL for Students

There are two types of placements for students doing WIL:

  1. Unpaid placements

    These are the most common types of WIL placements. Students complete a 340-hour unpaid placement (full time for 10 weeks or part time equivalent). During this time students become fully integrated into the workplace and complete projects that demonstrate meaningful placement outcomes.

    Students completing an unpaid placement are fully covered by university insurance for the duration of their placement.

  2. Paid placements (Scholarships/Summer Vacation Programs/Internships)

Paid placements including scholarships, Summer Vacation Programs and internships offered by large organisations may be accepted as WIL options. There are several paid scholarships available to ECU students and to all university students Australia wide.  These opportunities are to be arranged and applied for by the student. They will not be arranged by the WIL Coordinator.

Prior to applying it is recommended that you confirm with the School’s WIL coordinator that the opportunity is WIL compatible before applying.

Who Do I Contact About Participating in the WIL Program?

If you are interested in becoming a WIL student, please contact our WIL team on: ssciwil@ecu.edu.au

  1. You will be directed to speak with the WIL Coordinator for your discipline area and if required, your course coordinator to ensure your course structure meets WIL requirements.
  2. If you meet WIL eligibility requirements, you will work with your WIL Coordinator in an ongoing basis to discuss and prepare for placement opportunities.

What Can I Do To Prepare?

The school advises students to start thinking about WIL as early as possible, and consider the following:

  • Treat every unit as a critical learning experience
  • Embrace applied technical units
  • Ensure you complete units that align to your course’s WIL requirements
  • Make an appointment to see ECU’s Careers and Employability services – they can help you develop your resume, offer advice on mentoring or volunteering opportunities, etc. These opportunities will stand you in great stead when looking for a host organisation or job.
  • Create an ePortfolio at the beginning of your course and update with each semester’s learning outcomes. A well developed and evidenced ePortfolio makes finding a industry host that much easier.
  • Practice your interview techniques
  • Practice writing cover letters for industry scholarship and job applications
  • Ensure you have an update, professional quality LinkedIn profile

For more information, please visit the A Guide to My WIL Journey community Canvas site.

What Skills Do I Need?

In addition to technical skills, host organisations are looking for the following attributes and capabilities:

  • Time management
  • Professionalism
  • Teamwork
  • Communication skills
  • Problem solving and showing initiative
  • Self reliance

Are you reliable, approachable, a good communicator? Do you work well with others and have a talent for learning and applying new skills? Most industry hosts are looking at the potential a student can demonstrate, alongside their technical skills.

Will I Get a Job?

This is a very common and very reasonable question, especially for students going out to an industry placement. The short answer to this is ‘it is up to you’. Each semester several students receive job offers directly from their industry host, regardless of whether that organisation is big or small. In most cases the organisation was probably not thinking of hiring a new staff member but were so impressed with the potential shown by the WIL student that they were not willing to let that student go.

Most host organisations do not directly hire, but the critical nature of WIL is that it can significantly shorten the gap between graduating from university and landing your first job. Feedback from our previous WIL students indicate that not only is the timeframe for job searching reduced, but successful WIL students are more likely to get the job they want as their first job.

Who Arranges My Placement?

There are several ways that students can be placed with an industry host, but the preferred approach (in order of preference) is as follows:

  1. Apply for the WIL program once applications open for your desired teaching period. A notification that applications have opened will be posted to the A Guide to My WIL Journey community Canvas site or emailed to you. The WIL team will assess each application and those who meet eligibility requirements will be provisionally approved into the program. Students will then attend a meeting with the WIL Coordinator, several preparation workshops, submit their resume and attend an interview with a potential host organisation as organised by the WIL Coordinator.
  2. Apply for and receive a paid industry scholarship or vacation program. Early in your course get a feel for which types of organisations offer scholarships and vacation programs, the types of roles associated with these opportunities and the criteria for applying. Ensure you contact your WIL coordinator for advice on the processes that need to be completed before your vacation program commences.
  3. Arrange your own placement. Join professional associations, go to their events, meet people, introduce yourself and inform people about what you are doing and what your strengths are. Contact companies directly or join professional networks through LinkedIn. Explain what the WIL program involves, and that you are seeking to undertake an industry placement in your final semester. If they seem interested, then you can put them in touch with the WIL Coordinator(s) who formally finalise the placement.
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