Quality Assuring Work Integrated Learning

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for managing student internships in the biodiversity sector, focusing on aligning workplace experience with academic curricula. It provides a seven-step approach covering the definition of quality WIL, organizational preparation, recruitment and selection, workplace induction, mentoring strategies, assessment methods, and monitoring and evaluation. The guide emphasizes the importance of 'the right fit' between a student's academic background and the host's operational needs, suggesting a balance of 75% curriculum-related work and 25% support tasks. It also details the roles of universities, students, and employers in the assessment process and provides tools such as a Career Development Map and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to ensure professional growth and organizational benefit.

• Quality work integrated learning requires a balance between academic application and general workplace support, with a suggested benchmark of 75% of time spent on tasks related to the curriculum and functional area and 25% on support tasks such as administration.
• Effective placement depends on 'the right fit', where the host employer provides experience that complements the student's academic learning and the student possesses the specific background required for the work context, such as specific ecological knowledge for certain geographic regions.
• The recruitment and selection process for biodiversity interns should involve multiple stages: initial shortlisting based on high-level criteria (e.g., youth and unemployment status), second-round shortlisting based on specific placement fit and proficiencies (e.g., driver's licenses or physical fitness), and final selection via standardized interviews.
• A comprehensive induction for student interns should cover five distinct levels: the specific placement, the work function, the unit or directorate, the overall organization, and the broader context of working for biodiversity.
• Mentoring is defined as a developmental relationship focused on professional practice, which can be delivered through one-on-one, group, peer, or distance models depending on the organization's capacity.
• The assessment of work integrated learning is a shared responsibility: universities manage the summative assessment and framework, students document evidence of learning, and host employers provide formative assessment through monitoring and feedback.

APA

Raven, G. (2017). Quality Assuring Work Integrated Learning. WWF South Africa. http://awsassets.wwf.org.za/downloads/work_integrated_learning.pdf

Chicago

Raven, Glenda. Quality Assuring Work Integrated Learning. WWF South Africa, 2017. http://awsassets.wwf.org.za/downloads/work_integrated_learning.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Raven |first1=Glenda |title=Quality Assuring Work Integrated Learning |publisher=WWF South Africa |date=2017 |url=http://awsassets.wwf.org.za/downloads/work_integrated_learning.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{raven2017quality, author = {Raven, Glenda}, title = {{Quality Assuring Work Integrated Learning}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2017}, url = {http://awsassets.wwf.org.za/downloads/work_integrated_learning.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }