FAQs from Industry and Community Organisations
Get answers to frequently asked questions about hosting Waikato students for Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programmes.
Work-integrated learning is practical experience which gives students the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge learnt in the classroom therefore most student will undertake WIL in their third year. This is because third year students have had the opportunity to develop more of that knowledge therefore the experience is more meaningful.
We encourage you to speak to our WIL team to determine the best option for your organisation to make the most out of working with our students. Please complete the request a call back form or log a project and someone will be in touch within 2 days.
We expect that the partner organisation will allocate a work place supervisor who is responsible for the day to day oversight of the student. Often the workplace supervisor will be required to complete an evaluation of the student, either during or at the end of the placement.
This can vary depending on the paper and the work that is required. Placements can range between 60 and 400 hours in the workplace, while work-related projects may only require email communication with the partner organisation. The University is relatively flexible on the time that students spend in the workplace – however if the placement is undertaken during the trimester then care needs to be taken to not interfere with the students other academic commitments.
There is no university requirement for students to be paid while they are on placement or for undertaking a work-related project. However for some programmes particularly where placements occur over the summer, payment of students is the norm. There may also be the opportunity to obtain financial support via scholarships and research grants. See below for examples of financial support opportunities. Please get in touch if you would like to know more.
There is a confidentiality clause in the Student Placement Agreement provided by the University of Waikato. Students and staff are expected to uphold organisational confidentiality at all times. However students are also expected to submit work relating to their placement or project, the University does have in place processes where organisations can request that student’s assessment items be examined under conditions of confidentiality. However we expect that no other restriction will be placed on the student’s ability to lodge their assessment items.
Where students are not receiving remuneration for the work that they are undertaking it is important to consider the IP rights of the students. The University has a standing policy that any intellectual property created by a student belongs to that student however we anticipate that in the course of undertaking WIL there will be potential IP generation which should remain property of your organisation. You can ask the student to sign this over to you, however there must be no restrictions placed on the students to log their assessments. We also ask that you consider that some students are required to present a portfolio of work when they are applying for positions in their relevant industry. This means that imposing minimal restrictions on work that they produce is important for the development of your future industry professionals.
The simple answer is no, New Zealand is a country made up of small organisations and many of these need fast, low risk solutions to problems that arise. Alternatively you may simply need help to undertake specific projects or tasks.
There will be some form of supervision required, this will vary depending on the type of WIL that is undertaken. For example a project may require email communication and occasional meetings, while a placement may require day to day supervision. Prior to the student commencing a placement or project, the WIL contact will work with you to determine the expectations of your organisation including supervision and the agreed outputs.
The University has processes in place for when things don’t quite go to plan. The first point of contact for your organisation will be the WIL contact who would have been identified to you on the WIL Expectations document that was signed at the start of the placement. If you are engaging in a work-related project it is recommended that you speak with the WIL contact or the Academic staff member that is overseeing the project on campus.
Alternatively you are able to contact our Central WIL team directly, via email at wil@waikato.ac.nz
It is up to you to determine how you want to manage this process, the university can either:
- Select the student on your behalf,
- Short list students for your final selection, or
- Send all applicants to you for selection.
You can let us know which option is most suitable for you when you complete the expression of interest form on the previous page.