Student Work Placements (SWP)
A Student Work Placement (SWP) is:
- Approved unpaid work experience where students are covered by the University’s insurance.
- An experience that assists with professional skills development within a chosen field or course related area.
- A great opportunity to network with industry.
- Available to currently enrolled students from all disciplines and year levels. International students must have a valid work permit to participate in the program (Unpaid work is included in the 20 hour a week work limit).
- Facilitated by Careers & Employment (C&E).
Where do I find a SWP?
There are two ways to find a SWP:
I. Apply for a position advertised on Careers Online: (follow steps 1, 2, 5 & 7 stated below).
2. Find your own placement by approaching employers directly (follow steps 1–7 stated below).
Steps in finding a placement:
1. Identify your skills and the types of work/projects you are interested in. These need to be related to your studies.
2. Make sure you have written a resume and cover letter that really sells you and your skills.
Tools to help develop your resume:
- Resume Express – found on Careers Online
- Wise Up For Work - pick up a copy in the Careers Resource Centre.
- Resumé Review – book in through the front desk at C&E, Level 1, Baldwin Spencer Building or phone 03 8344 6686.
- Resources on C&E's website www.services.unimelb.edu.au/careers/
3. If sourcing your own placement, identify possible employers to approach. Some suggestions for finding these are:
- Use your networks and spread the word that you are looking for an unpaid work placement.
- Talk to your lecturers and tutors who often have industry contacts.
- Look at ideas for organisations in trade journals and magazines.
- Professional associations relevant to your field.
- Use leads from the newspapers, blogs and social networking sites.
- Utilise resources on C&E’s website and in the Careers Resource Centre.
- Visit Graduate Careers Australia’s website for suitable companies.
- Use the Yellow Pages website: www.yellowpages.com.au.
4. Decide on how you will approach organisations:
- Email - make sure that you follow up with a phone call.
- Phone – write a script outlining the key points you would like to make.
- In person – dress appropriately for the relevant workplace and be sure to have your resumé with you.
- Download the employer information sheet (PDF / 79KB) - this can be sent to the employer to explain SWPs
5. When contact is made with an organisation be sure to convey the skills that you have and the area of work experience that you are seeking. Also, outline the key points of the SWP:
- 40-80 hours in length in total, undertaken within 6 months and appropriately supervised.
- The position must be course-related or able to assist with professional skills development.
- While on placement you will be covered by the University’s insurance (as long as the appropriate forms have been lodged using Careers Online).
- It must be undertaken on commercial premises or, if field work, performed under supervision.
- The activity/placement is not considered high risk.
- The host employer must have an ABN.
6. Once you have found an employer and you have negotiated the work placement, the position will need to be approved by C&E. Please contact:
Anna Hickey
Graduate Employment Coordinator
e: ahickey@ unimelb.edu.au
ph: 03 8344 9770
The employer will be sent an instruction sheet. This sheet requests that the employer enter the details of the work placement on to Careers Online. The placement will not be available to other students.
Once C&E have approved the placement you will be notified by us of final steps required to secure the placement.
7. When you have completed your placement, you will be sent an email reminding you to log on to Careers Online and fill out a completion summary. You will then be issued with a SWP program certificate.
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Careers Counselling
If you feel the need to discuss SWP and how to move forward with finding a placement why not book into a Careers Counselling session? To book call (03) 8344 6686
Voluntary work:
The Leadership, Involvement & Volunteer Experience (LIVE) Unit is responsible for coordinating volunteer opportunities.
Generally, voluntary work:
- is unpaid
- takes place in a not-for-profit organisation
- is freely chosen by the volunteer
- generally provides a service to the community
- is undertaken in designated positions (ie. is not replacing paid workers)
Volunteering Australia provides a clear outline of the definitions and principles of volunteering on their website.