ICMS WIL Program: 9 Considerations for Partners

The ICMS Work Integrated learning (WIL) program is exemplary in the Australian tertiary sector. This program offers all students the opportunity to undertake a professional placement within an ICMS partner organisation as part of their degree.

This program can be flexible – offering full-time, part-time, volunteer, or casual opportunities. So whether students are beginning their employability journey or are experienced professionals seeking additional opportunities, the WIL professional placement program is designed to meet their needs and yours!

At ICMS, we believe the best learning experience combines practical and real-world experience with a strong academic foundation. By building Work Integrated Learning (WIL) subjects into all bachelor’s and master’s degrees, our students have the opportunity to prepare for their future professional career by gaining relevant experience in their chosen industry, learning the skills required, and gaining valuable contacts and networks.

The benefits of becoming an industry partner

For our WIL industry partners, there are many benefits to taking on an ICMS student:

• You’ll have the opportunity to hit the fast-forward button on some of those projects you have been meaning to tackle but have not had the time or resources for – until now.
• You (or one of your team) will have the opportunity to become a mentor and make a real difference to someone’s future career path.
• An ICMS student will join your company with fresh eyes – and they may give you some new ideas to scale, grow your reach, or improve your processes.
• It gives you the chance to focus on your induction and training processes, which may show some gaps or question marks – all in the name of continual improvement.
• For ICMS students who are your current employees, it provides an opportunity to identify skill gaps, explore untapped potential and develop new skills. By working together, you can prepare them for better roles within the business, saving on the costs of external recruitment and nurturing talent familiar with your operations.

Of course, if all works out well, you may just find your next permanent team member! It is a lot simpler to hire someone whom you’ve invested time in and who has knowledge of the company rather than head down a lengthy recruitment process.

What to consider as a potential partner

Your 9-step checklist

1. Who will be the manager/person to manage the student?

Who will manage the student on the WIL professional placement program? This is the first question you should ask yourself. Is there someone in your company who would relish the chance to step up into this role? They need to be approachable, friendly and welcoming – everything else is secondary.

2. What is the work setting like?

Do you have the physical space for another team member? Again, it sounds basic, but it is extremely important to make them feel welcomed from the moment they start with your organisation.

3. What’s your budget?

Does your budget accommodate a payment or allowance for the student? Even a relatively small amount can go a long way towards making someone feel accountable and valued. Remember, most students have weekly expenses and living out of home can be expensive.

4. Consider your calendar

How many days per week/hours per day would you ideally like our students to work? It is wise to manage everyone’s expectations and to make this clear from the start.

If you take on one of our students for unpaid work, we recommend a maximum of two to three days per week.

For current employees who have taken on an ICMS student on a student visa, please note they have unrestricted working hours while enrolled in the WIL professional placement program.

5. How will you allocate jobs?

Start a list of the tasks that you feel the student could handle. Think about what the different members of your team are responsible for on a daily/weekly/monthly basis and decide whether the student is going to work solely in one department, or whether it will be more of an all-rounder position. If possible, broader exposure to different departments is a great way to introduce the student to a range of different areas within your business, helping them to clarify their area of interest.

6. What tasks will the student do?

Discuss the possible tasks with your team and see if they can come up with anything else for the student to work on. Ask them what they need help with – this should make everyone excited for the student to start! Are there any stretch projects they can be tackling in the background? This is very useful for companies that have natural peaks and troughs in the workflow pace as it will give the student an ongoing sense of accountability, as well as keeping them engaged for the duration of their placement. Often you will find that the students have skills that your team do not. How can you draw on these skills and make the most of them during the placement? For example, could you assign them a project to revamp (or create from scratch!)? Or perhaps you need help with your website, social media, client database, or events calendar.

7. What planning needs to happen before the student arrives?

You don’t need to necessarily tell the student what you have planned for them, but it is useful to think about the induction process and who will show them around. It saves a lot of time and brainpower if you have at least their first few tasks mapped out for them – that way they can feel like they are making a positive difference to the company from the very first day. Is there anything you can do to make them feel extra special and welcomed? Could you or one of your team members take them around and introduce them individually to the rest of the team (or the department heads if applicable)? Could you organise a little welcome pack or notice to welcome them?

8. Dealing with a performance review

This is frequently a concern for companies who have been hesitant to take on a student in the past, and it’s a valid point to raise. Those completing a WIL professional placement should be treated in the same fashion as any other member of the team who is not performing to the required level. The first way to think about approaching this situation is to sit them down for a chat and give them the feedback in a constructive manner. They may not realise that there is an issue and it may help them to think of ways they can improve.

9. Recognition for the student

Offer to write them a LinkedIn endorsement or recommendation. Offer to be a referee for them in the future, if required. Have they excelled in the role? Perhaps you would like to offer them ongoing employment? If they have finished their studies, this is an option. If they have not yet completed their course at ICMS, maybe you could consider keeping them on part time. If you are open to it, you could suggest becoming their mentor and offer to be a point of contact for them if they have any future career challenges.

Learn more about our WIL program

Phone: +61 2 9977 0333
Email: [email protected]