'Tools of trade' : supporting consistency in processes related to work-integrated learning (WIL)

This paper reports on an inter-professional collaboration undertaken to improve the WIL experience for students, industry stakeholders, and academics. An interdisciplinary project was undertaken in a small metropolitan university in Australia to address issues identified in the processes related to WIL for students of the health-related professions. Outcomes of the project include the development of a generic tool or guide to support improvement in the preparation for, ongoing support during, and assessment of WIL across the disciplines. While further trialing of the tool is necessary to measure benefits across the disciplines and professions, initial results are positive. The tool is now providing an important means of optimizing the outcomes of the WIL experience for all stakeholders. This, in turn, demonstrates the benefits of inter-professional and interdisciplinary cooperation for those seeking to facilitate the best possible WIL experience for students, industry representatives, and academics alike.