Work experience

Work experience can provide a link between theoretical issues covered in your course and the world of work. It can be for course credit (Work Integrated Learning) or not-for-credit. Work experience can take many forms:

• work placements
• internships
• community service learning
• cooperative education
• volunteer work

These experiences usually have two things in common:

• they are not permanent positions
• they involve training in the work place.

Some work experience positions are unpaid.

Advantages of work experience:

• investigate the employment market and experience a specific work place
• a taste of the real world of work in your field - leading to sounder career choices.
• work on problem solving, initiative and team work skills, which you can then write about in selection criteria and talk about in interviews
• enable employers to observe potential employees in their work place
• providing you with referees and references for your resume and for general recruitment purposes

Where to find work experience placements?

• QUT CareerHub
• Contact your faculty for work experience opportunities

Insurance guidelines

For work experience which is not a course requirement, you will need to organise the unpaid work experience insurance through Careers and Employment. Refer to the Insurance section.

International Work Placement Scheme

The International Work Placement Scheme (IWPS) is for international students studying at QUT who are seeking work experience in their home country while they study. Further details are provided through the above link.