University students in the workplace strategies for successful industry placement experiences

an article by Jane Burdett and Sandy Barker (UniSA's Business School, Adelaide, Australia) published in Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal Volume 31 Issue 1 (2017)

Abstract

Purpose
Increasing numbers of university students in USA, UK and Australia are undertaking industry placements to gain workplace experience. However, outcomes are not always as expected. This paper aims to identify challenges for universities and host organizations in delivering quality student industry placement and presents strategies to achieve successful learning outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach
The reflections, evaluation and feedback data received from stakeholders, namely, university students, host organizations and faculty mentors in a large Australian university were used to formulate strategies.

Findings
Lessons learned from the authors’ experience in industry placement programs over 5 years with 180 students in 127 organizations indicate that careful planning and management of placements is needed to achieve successful learning outcomes.

Research limitations/implications
Further research into the application of these strategies in other universities would be valuable.

Practical implications
Lessons learned and recommendations offered provide strategies to assist in planning and management of industry placements.

Originality/value
Given the growing popularity of work experience in university programs, this should be of interest to faculty and organizations.

---

Time Work by Overworked Professionals: Strategies in Response to the Stress of Higher Status

Phyllis Moen, Jack Lam and Erin L. Kelly (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA) and Samantha Ammons (University of Nebraska–Omaha, USA) published Work and Occupations Volume 40
Number 2 (May 2013)

Abstract

How are professionals responding to the time strains brought on by the stress of their higher status jobs?

Qualitative data from professionals reveal

1. general acceptance of the emerging temporal organisation of professional work, including rising time demands and blurred boundaries around work/non-work times and places, and
2. time work as strategic responses to work intensification, overloads, and boundarylessness.

We detected four time-work strategies:

• prioritising time,
• scaling back obligations,
• blocking out time, and
• time shifting of obligations.

These strategies are often more work-friendly than family-friendly, but “blocking out time” and “time shifting” suggest promising avenues for work-time policy and practice.

---