Authentic Learning and Student's Employability: Are the Work Integrating Learning Courses Really Working?

Abstract

Student employability is a significant focus for universities, industry and national governments. Work-integrated Learning (WIL) represents an authentic educational approach that bridges theoretical knowledge with practical experience. It has been widely used as an effective and efficient measure to enhance graduates’ employability. Nonetheless, empirical evidence shows that few students enrol in this type of course when it is not part of the required curriculum. This study investigated 29 WIL courses at Griffith University (Australia) to gain deeper insights into this issue. The objective was to identify trends and gaps across disciplines, understand WIL’s structural elements, such as WIL types, learning outcomes, and graduate attributes, and gather feedback from key stakeholders, including course convenors, industry partners, and students. The findings demonstrate that while there is no doubt about the positive impact of WIL on employability, there is a pressing need to foster a genuine WIL culture and refine certain aspects of the current WIL framework. These steps are crucial to facilitate, enhance, and promote more meaningful WIL experiences in the future. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Not provided

Index Keywords

Curricula Students Australia Work-integrated learning Practical experience Authentic learning Educational approach Industry government Learning course National governments Structural elements University industries

Author Affiliations

Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Funding & Acknowledgements

No funding information

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Authentic Learning and Student's Employability: Are the Work Integrating Learning Courses Really Working?

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