Student Resources and Reflections

Ready to find your perfect work-integrated learning opportunity? 

Your university is your first port of call. They have dedicated teams and resources to help you find and prepare for a placement or project that aligns with your studies and career goals.

Where to Look:

• University Careers Service & WIL Offices: these teams have established relationships with industry partners and can connect you with exclusive opportunities.
• Your Faculty and Lecturers: academic and professional staff often have strong industry connections and can be a great source of WIL opportunities.
• Innovative Platforms: some universities use exciting platforms to connect students with partners. For example, the Live Ideas platform (Southern Cross University), which allows community and industry groups to post real-world projects for students to tackle.

Your WIL experience will be a powerhouse for your skills development – your chance to cultivate the professional, technical, and transferable skills that employers are looking for. 

Your institution should provide additional resources to help you identify and articulate your new skills on your resume and in job interviews – to ensure you can showcase the full value of the learning you gained from your WIL experience. 

See WIL Opportunities & Programs for questions to ask you program coordinators.

Excellence in work-integrated learning deserves to be celebrated. 

WIL Australia and our education partners are proud to recognise the outstanding achievements of students who have demonstrated exceptional skill, professionalism, and impact during their WIL experiences.

Each year, the ACEN National Conference celebrates excellence with awards for outstanding WIL students. 

These awards recognise students who have made significant contributions to their host organisations and have demonstrated remarkable personal and professional growth.

Could you be our next award winner? Strive for excellence in your WIL experience, and you could be celebrated on a national stage.

As an international student, work-integrated learning is one of the most valuable experiences you can have during your time in Australia. 

Your WIL experience is a fantastic way to apply your skills, enhance your employability, and build lasting connections in Australia.

They are your opportunity to gain local professional experience, understand the Australian workplace culture, and build a network that will support your career goals, both here and abroad.

Nevertheless, WIL Australia understands international students can face unique challenges.

WIL Australia therefore advocates on your behalf. This includes, talking to government and universities about how the work hours cap intersects with WIL opportunities, affecting both quality of education and cost of living.

WIL Australia also promotes additional International Student Support Resources:

• Specialised Programs: WIL Australia supports various initiatives to develop resources tailored specifically to help international students succeed in WIL.
• University Support Services: your education institution should have an international student support office and careers service with advisors who can help you navigate from understanding workplace rights to preparing your resume for an Australian context.