Perceptions of Career Development Learning and Work-Integrated Learning in Australian Higher Education

Abstract

This paper is a report on the perceived correspondence between career development learning and work-integrated learning programs that were delivered by career services in Australian higher education institutions. The study entailed a questionnaire survey of representatives of university career services. The questionnaire dealt with the extent to which the elements of career development learning were present in work-integrated learning programs. Results of the survey indicated convergence of the career development-learning domains of self-awareness and opportunity awareness, but relatively less integration of decision-making and transition learning. The article concludes with a call for further exploration into how universities and employers view career development learning in work-integrated learning programs.

Developing career management competencies among undergraduates and the role of work-integrated learning

“…These items have been used in previous empirical studies that assess career development learning among undergraduates based on the DOTS framework (see, for example, DacrePool, Qualter, and Sewell 2014;McIlveen et al 2011;Reddan and Rauchle 2012). We asked participants to rate their capabilities in each item on a five-point scale, ranging from 'very poor' to 'very good'.…”

“…He appraised student learning in the workplace as a significant contributor to career readiness, helping to prepare graduates who are often required to 'hit the ground running' once in employment. Similarly, Hooley The focus of WIL is the development of those competencies that facilitate lifelong learning, rather than disciplinary knowledge and skills (Usher 2012), the enhancement of workreadiness through developing non-technical attributes such as self-efficacy and effective team-working (see McIlveen et al 2011;Smith and Worsfold 2013). WIL also acts to enhance students' understanding of the expected skills and task performance in their chosen profession (see Jackson 2014), empowers effective career decision-making and facilitates successful networking in one's chosen field (Bourner and Millican 2011).…”

Employability and students’ part‐time work in the UK: does self‐efficacy and career aspiration matter?

“…Yet, McIlveen et al . () recognised that work‐related learning not only helps individuals learn about themselves, but also provides insights into the connections between work and their studies, and therefore aligns well with career planning (McMahon et al ., ). In particular, this activity is felt to support an individual's understanding of his/her personal career identity (McIlveen et al ., ) and helping to increase self‐confidence and develop skills that are transferable into the work environment (Curtis & Shani, ).…”

Emerging trends and influences in Ghanaian hospitality industry education and employability

“…The elements of the DOTS model influence the development of career learning in HE (Abraham and Karns 2009;Johnson 2011;Sternberg 2013). This allows students to become conscious of issues such as selfawareness, self-promotion, exploring and creating opportunities, action planning, networking, decision-making, negotiating, political awareness, and coping with uncertainty, and therefore focuses on the development and transfer of skills (Mcllveen 2011;Watts 2006). The DOTS model supports cross-curricular learning (which involves curricula in more than one educational subject).…”

“…The adoption of the DOTS framework in this study is based on three main reasons: it has sustained decades of implementation in the HE sector, particularly in the UK as indicated in the introduction earlier; it may be represented in a succinct format; and it allows easy understanding and can be applied by individuals with little schooling in the theory of career development. Mcllveen et al (2011) claim that work-integrated learning placements, which is an aspect of DOTS, should be related to the students' goals and learning needs, to enable them to judge the significance and success of work-integrated learning experience.…”