Work-related Learning


Improving student employability is now inextricably linked with a curriculum that encourages work-related learning or offers opportunities for work experience.

There are many workplace learning opportunities available whilst studying. For example: live projects; work experience; placements; volunteering; business startup; community based learning. In addition many students will be engaged in some form of paid work during their time at university. Any of these opportunities can lead to WRL; however most of these experiences are not documented and are informal in nature, consequently many of the learning opportunities are not maximised.
All undergraduate students will have opportunity to engage in work related learning whilst at Leeds Met as part of this course, though the specific form this takes can vary greatly. Work-related learning allows students to improve their employability by:

  • Increasing their knowledge of the world of work
  • Developing self-confidence
  • Aiding career and personal development planning
  • Providing an impressive addition to the CV
  • Providing invaluable material for the Progress File
  • Providing useful employer contacts for later job hunting

The maximum work-related learning occurs when it is built into the students' degree programmes, with appropriate pre-placement advice and preparation, reflection on the learning after it has occurred and appropriate linkages made between the work environment and the academic programme. This link will take you to examples of how WRL is already occurring within the University. If you would like further help in embedding within your course then please contact Laura Dean, Head of Employability.

Supporting Power Point Presentations

Good practice examples

These Good Practice examples come from the winners of the 2011 Excellence in Employability Award. Details of entry for the 2012 Award will be posted shortly

Jackie Campbell, Howard Gould, Sanela Lazarevski and Julian Old (AET)

The first award goes to a team who have worked hard this year to encourage and support more students to undertake placements. They have conducted research with employers staff and students looking at the barriers they experience in taking up placements and have thought of different opportunities for students, aware that many can’t or won’t take the traditional sandwich placement year. Consequently the number of placements already secured this year has increased  by 25% on last year.

Nick Halafihi (CARNEGIE)

The second ‘half’ goes to a member of staff who views student centredness as critical to all aspects of higher education and who has embedded employability throughout the Sport Business Management course he leads, creating an employability pathway which incorporates work placement opportunities and recognises the activities and learning students undertake outside of the course as well as on course.

7 ways to embed work related learning

  1. Using an integrative studies module to simulate work experience within a module in HSS delivered - Pauline Fitzgerald
  2. Working with a charity on a live project, embedded in the curriculum with students from three different faculties - Alex Kenyon & Graeme Allen
  3. An example of using a live group project to provide placements for students in AET - Gillian Dyson
  4. Examples of using live final year projects in AET, presentation by staff and students involved - Jackie Campbell
  5. Successfully embedding placements within an English Literature degree - Marion Wynne-Davies
  6. SHAREVILLE: a technology to support simulated work experience - Alan Staley, Mark Hetherington
  7. An example of embedding employability throughout a course including live projects at Level 6 in Carnegie - Stephen Robson & Lee Tucker

 

 

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