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Graduate Careers Australia
Graduate Grapevine - Number 9, Summer 2007
Career Development Learning in Higher Education: Maximising the Student Experience
It is an exciting time for everyone involved in career development in higher education. The DEST Review of Career Development Services in Tertiary Institutions, the Business, Industry and Higher Education Collaboration Council Graduate Skills Employability Report and Universities Australia’s National Internship Program proposals all indicate a rising interest in our Careers Services, graduates’ employability and our graduates’ skill development. The National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS, www.nagcas.org.au
) project: Career Development Learning in Higher Education: Maximising the Contribution of Work Integrated Learning to the Student Experience is contributing to this.
Funded to the tune of $236,000 by the Carrick Institute (www.carrickinstitute.edu.au/carrick/go
), NAGCAS, in collaboration with Flinders University, Monash University, RMIT University, the University of Wollongong and the University of Southern Queensland, will be examining how career development learning, including Work Integrated Learning (WiL), contributes to positive graduate outcomes.
The project team includes:
- Martin Smith (Project Leader), University of Wollongong
- Joanne Tyler, Monash University
- Peter McIlveen, University of Southern Queensland
- Peter Torjul, Flinders University
- Sally Brooks, RMIT University.
The project will involve applied research to produce guidelines, benchmarks, products and services to support Career Services. The focus will be on articulating and maximising the career development learning which occurs through the wide variety of WiL activities occurring in Australian universities. The aim is to have a positive impact on completion rates, employability and graduate outcomes.
The project will include:
- an international literature review of career development learning literature, WiL and connections to student transitions
- consultation with key Australian stakeholders, such as university Career Development practitioners, WiL managers, Field Placement staff, Cooperative Education officers, academics delivering for-credit subjects, employers and professional associations
- a national action research symposium; to be staged in Melbourne in the third week of June 2008, with national and international participation
- the development of national guidelines and benchmarks for maximising the contribution of career development learning to student transitions and the relationships to teaching and learning contexts
- building a model for career development learning which has the potential to be integrated into the curriculum in Australian universities, and maximises the leverage from work integrated learning opportunities. The aim is to create graduates who have career management skills which will enable them to be active contributors to Australian society, consistent with the approach of the Australian Blueprint for Career Development
- producing A Practice Manual for Higher Education Institutions. This will be of immediate value to higher education institutions and to industry stakeholders.
The Carrick Institute has encouraged NAGCAS to seek extensive input, perspectives and high level support from academic communities, so when academic integration solutions are developed, realistic and relevant teaching and learning activities are achieved. This approach is reflected in the membership of the Steering Committee which, in addition to the project team, includes:
- A/Prof Stephen Billett, Carrick Fellow
- Carolyn Laird, Robert Bosch (Australia)
- Cindy Tilbrook, Graduate Careers Australia
- Dr Simon Barrie, Carrick Fellow
- Prof Barbara Holland, PVC (Engagement) University of Western Sydney
- Prof Belinda McLennan, PVC (Teaching and Learning) Victoria University
- Prof Joyce Kirk, PVC (Students) RMIT University
- Prof Rob Castle, DVC (Academic), University of Wollongong
- Prof Ian Goulter, President of the World Association of Cooperative Education, CSU Vice Chancellor
- Val Butcher, Higher Education Consultant (UK)
- Representative to be confirmed, Business Industry Higher Education Collaborative Council.
Twenty seven universities already have indicated their support for the project and anticipate the practical benefits that will flow from the research and developments.
Careers Services staff, industry representatives, employers and academic staff are key to the success of this project and their contribution is vital. The first opportunity for Careers practitioners to participate in the project came via the two seminars that took place during the recent NAGCAS Conference held at the University of Wollongong in early December.
The project team are also developing online tools to enable interested parties to both contribute to and keep abreast of the project. Watch this space!
Further details on this major initiative are available from:
- Martin Smith Project Leader, Careers Service at the University of Wollongong telephone: 02 4221 3324 email: [email protected]
- Dr Anna Lichtenberg Project Manager, Faculty of Education and Arts Edith Cowan University email: [email protected]
- Joanne Tyler Director, Careers and Employment Service Monash University telephone: 03 9905 3144 email: [email protected]
- Peter McIlveen Manager, Careers & Employment University of Southern Queensland telephone: 07 4631 2210 email: [email protected]
- Peter Torjul Head of Careers Service Flinders University telephone: 08 8201 2832 email: [email protected]
- Sally Brooks Coordinator, Career Development & Employment (CD&E) RMIT University telephone: 03 9925 2078 email: [email protected]
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