Curriculum standards

Employability is developed through the accumulation of skills, knowledge, and personal attributes. To have an impact on student outcomes, employability needs to be considered from an overall course design. The La Trobe University Strategic Plan 2020 - 2030 [PDF 1.5MB] (updated early 2020) requires employability capabilities to be embedded into all courses.

The following minimum standards have been developed to guide our work.

  1. The overall course design should include opportunities throughout the program for students to develop transferable and discipline-based skills; and that the connection between students learning and transferable skills to be made explicit.
  2. Courses should be designed and reviewed with input from industry and/or alumni.
  3. Course maps should indicate where employability capabilities will be taught and assessed.
  4. The connection between the degree of study and potential career outcomes should be made explicit to students.
  5. Pedagogical approaches to embedding employability into the curriculum can include, but not be limited to: career development learning; work integrated learning; service learning; student partnerships; graduate capabilities; industry teaching; ePortfolios; capstone projects; and international exchange programs.
  6. Students should have the potential to meet the minimum requirements for the Career Ready Advantage Silver Award through employability activities in the curriculum.
  7. Students should have at least one opportunity to connect with industry or community organisations. Opportunities could include work integrated learning, service learning, industry site visits, industry teaching, or informational interviews.
  8. Students will be provided with support to engage in career and study planning.
  9. Students will be taught how to write appropriate documentation to support applications for career and study-related  activities, such as:
    • Resumes for part-time employment, volunteering, work integrated learning, graduate employment, postgraduate study, or scholarships.
    • Application letters for employment, study, or research grants.
  10. Students will have opportunities to develop skills to present information that showcases evidence of knowledge, skills, and  experiences, through different media:
    • Employment or  academic interviews conducted face to face or via technology
    • Portfolios and personal branding, using services like LinkedIn or ResearchGate.