Does the timing of work integrated learning affect graduate employability outcomes?

Abstract

Employability is a critical quality measure of student lifelong success that goes beyond grade achievement and often guides students' choice of university and profession. Whilst studies highlighting the importance of work-integrated learning (WIL) in improving employability abound, there is a dearth of knowledge on the efficacy of timing of WIL as a variable in improving employability. The longitudinal study, carried out in a 3-year annual questionnaire-based survey, examines the effect of timing of WIL on employability status when student performance is held constant. Graduates possessing the same performance level (academic degree class 2.1) showed different levels of economic-engagement achievements depending on whether they engaged in WIL prior to their studies (Group A), throughout the learning period (Group B) or for nine months during the third year (Group C) of their studies. Although the findings revealed differences between timing of WIL and the nature of work engagement, all the graduates endorsed the critical role of WIL in building work-related competencies and thus improving employability. The findings are useful in promoting the necessary diversity in WIL curriculum design to facilitate quality and inclusive higher education.

The development of a suitable training model for students with disabilities at a training institution in South Africa

“…Cognitive competencies include the ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-life situations, and methodological knowledge refers to theoretical knowledge of learnt skills and their methods. Functional competencies are often technical or operational in nature and reflect the competencies required to perform a task effectively (Garwe 2020 ). On the other hand, essential skills for building respectful, diverse and inclusive workplaces where employers hold themselves and their employees accountable for their actions are more personal than organisational.…”

“…Curricula should not reflect the homogenisation suggested by McDonaldisation (Crossman 2021 ) but should be responsive to social contexts (Lubbe, Wolvaardt & Turner 2020 ). The focus should move from learning ‘for work’, to ‘learning at work’ and even ‘learning through work’ (Garwe 2020 :193).…”

“…Businesses that employ persons with disabilities require them to have the necessary skills and competencies to do their work (Garwe 2020 ). In addition, employers usually expect employees to have intangible, meta competencies like being able to self-regulate, being flexible and able to adapt to various work and social environments, anticipating and learning (Heery & Noon 2017 ).…”

Effect of undergraduate student age on work-integrated learning preparation and experience

“…There is a need to harmonise existing data and examine the effectiveness of WIL projects across various disciplinary fields using combinations of characteristics, such as student demographics, especially for establishing how effective and benefiting the WIL project is to the students. Evidence in the literature on the effectiveness of WIL on graduate employability [1,9,16,17] serves as the premise, on which WIL should be entrenched into the university curricula.…”

“…The benefits of WIL include the relevant business skills, taught in students to complement the theoretical knowledge, acquired in the classroom to solve practical problems in the workplace [25]. WIL is structurally designed to connect the work-based and business component to academic theory [1]. The benefits of WIL are all-encompassing to students, employers, educational institutions, and society.…”