Engineering work integrated learning placements: The influence of capitals on students’ access

Paull, M.ORCID: 0000-0001-8613-2159, Lloyd, N., Male, S.A and Clerke, T. (2019) Engineering work integrated learning placements: The influence of capitals on students’ access. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 41 (5). pp. 534-549.

Abstract

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) is embraced in Australian higher education (HE) and is a feature of most Australian HE ‘entry to profession’ engineering education programs accredited by Engineers Australia. Accreditation guidelines articulate the need for curriculum-integrated engagement with professional practice (EPP) and encourage EPP in a separate workplace environment, e.g. WIL. This article reports on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with staff and student engineers from four Australian HE institutions with mandatory engineering WIL. Framed by a Bourdieusian theoretical perspective, the influence of capitals on student access to engineering WIL placements was investigated. The research found that students’ capitals influenced access to engineering WIL placements. Policy and educational practice recommendations are made.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	College of Arts, Business, Law and Social Sciences
Publisher:	Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group
Copyright:	© 2019 Association for Tertiary Education Management an
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/50572

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