Employers
By partnering with La Trobe University and supporting students on placement, you will connect with students across multiple disciplines who bring new thinking and perspectives to your organisation.
Hosting a La Trobe student on a placement is also an effective way to identify talent and create a recruitment pipeline. If you are an employer looking to engage with the next generation of industry professionals, we can help.
Benefits of hosting a La Trobe University Student
- Connect with top talent and next-generation future workforce to bring new thinking and perspectives to your business
- Build a talent pipeline familiar with your workplace culture through access to La Trobe’s network of 38,000 students
- Provide your staff the opportunity to develop mentoring and management skills, by supervising students
- Develop a partnership with La Trobe University
- Add value through participation in projects relevant to your organisation
Ways to partner with La Trobe
Industry Placements
La Trobe Talent offers early access to emerging talent in their penultimate and final years of tertiary study. Our centralised team will help tailor a placement program that suits your needs; we will assist you throughout the whole process from development of your opportunities to promotion and recruitment.
Industry Projects
We collaborate with industry to deliver multi-disciplinary teams of students to devise innovative solutions to real-world challenges. These teams embark on targeted projects that align with your business needs and can produce analysis, pitches and strategies that are yours to use.
Brand Exposure
We provide many opportunities for partners to speak at lectures and webinars, attend careers events and host a stall at an expo. These events provide a platform for talent and brand exposure and an opportunity to showcase your organisations’ expertise and culture to potential employees.
Course Advisory Committee
We want to hear from you. Ever wished you could contribute to course curriculum and have a say in what students learn? Join a course advisory committee and help shape the next generation of work ready graduates.
Internships, Graduate Programs and on-going job opportunities
The La Trobe Career Hub is your opportunity to build your brand and expand your reach to over 30,000 students and recent graduates seeking a wide range of employment opportunities, from full-time, part-time or casual positions, as well as paid internships and graduate programs.
Number one graduates
Our La Trobe graduates were ranked as the best in Victoria for their ability to adapt, apply skills and knowledge and work independently, thanks to our Career Ready Advantage. Access students from our vast range of disciplines from health, law, sports, engineering, information technology, science, agriculture, business and the humanities.
Find out more
Testimonials
Find out more about the benefits of placements for both La Trobe University's industry partners and students:
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which industries are covered by WIL programs?
Most industries can benefit from participating in WIL. While some professional fields such as nursing, teaching and engineering have a long history of structured work integrated learning associated with professional accreditation requirements, WIL is increasingly becoming a feature of higher education courses across all fields of study.
2. How will it help my organisation?
The mentoring you give to a student can help you in many ways. The extra pair of hands will immediately help with resourcing a project, your employees who mentor the student learn valuable management skills and, you are helping to improve the quality of graduates available to your industry.
3. How much time do I need to commit to WIL?
Typically, La Trobe University students work 100 to 200 hours in host organisations depending on subject requirements. This may range from 1 to 2 days per week during a standard semester (Semester 1 February-July, Semester 2 July-October) or full time for 3 to 4 weeks during the Summer Semester.
Your staff's involvement will vary depending on the student's project whilst undertaking the placement. There will be some supervising and mentoring requirements which we'll discuss with you before we place students within your organisation.
4. Am I expected to remunerate students for their services?
The majority of WIL experiences are unpaid. If you would like to remunerate students for their expenses, this can be discussed.
5. Does La Trobe University provide insurance for students undertaking WIL?
Yes. Students are covered by La Trobe University’s insurance policy while on placement. This is applicable once there is a fully executed WBL Agreement in place. Host organisations must also hold public liability insurance to the minimum value of $10 million AUD.
6. What do I have to provide the student?
You should provide a rewarding workplace experience for the student which includes the tools they need to do their best work. This would include a safe workspace, suitable equipment and appropriate mentoring and supervision.
7. When can students undertake WIL?
Most WIL opportunities are scheduled at times of the year to fit annual course structures.
If the placement is part of their course, students usually complete it within the academic calendar:
- Summer Semester: late November – mid February
- Semester 1: late February – early June
- Semester 2: late July – late October
8. Who determines the students' WIL duties?
The host organisation determines the WIL student duties. The scope of the role and project will need to be approved by the student's Subject Coordinator, to ensure that it fits with the overall academic expectations of the placement. Any work allocated needs to be at a level usually undertaken by a graduate in the field.
9. How do I access support whilst I am supervising students on placement?
La Trobe industry partners (hosts) are provided with a WBL Host Organisation Guide which outlines responsibilities, expectations and support available. In addition, hosts are provided with an academic point of contact as part of the placement confirmation process.
Discover your future workforce
So that we may best assist you, please contact the discipline area relating to the work placement opportunity:
