WIL: Work Integrated Learning is an acronym used in order to indicate combination learning activities with real work experience. Thanks to partnership with companies and institutions, students will be able to put knowledge and evidence into practice. They can choose among many activities according to selected disciplines, for examples: work placements such as clinical placements, internships, cooperative and field education, vocational and professional practices, projects with industry and community-based organizations, art projects with exhibitions, offshore and online activities.

Why is WIL so important?

1. Learn new qualified skills and put theory into practice.
2. Increasing the chance of graduate employment in your field of study.
3. Develops your nonspecific skills: problem solving, teamwork and interpersonal communication techniques in work settings.
4. Acquire career development strategies and a work experience portfolio.
5. Gives you the opportunity to understand work culture and specific competencies of professions and industries.
6. Establish a network of contacts.
7. It’s a ‘test drive’.

Researchers’ findings often rely upon selected quotations from study participants to substantiate wider points. These quotations typically highlight students’ appreciation of: “hands on experience” (Pawson, 2016, p. 24); engaging with “the real world” (Fuller,Edmondson, France, Higgitt, & Ratinen, 2006, p. 96); the process of discovering that issues are “more complex than I imagined” (Miller, 2013, p. 53); the opportunity to be “able to use what you’ve actually learnt” and scope to add “something for the CV” (Pain et al., 2013, p. 35). These ways of framing and articulating their experiences signify not only cognitive gains but also important utilitarian skills and experience and affective experiences (personal self-awareness and emotional maturity).

Nowadays COVID-19 has severely affected millions of young people around the world, principally students who where looking forward to beginning their professional lives. It became increasingly apparent that the teaching-team need strategies to assist students during this time to continue their studies while not adding further pressure to their work or personal lives. A best practice is to develop a suite of virtual projects for students unable to undertake a workplace project to complete the course requirements. The virtual projects aim to be sufficiently flexible so that students can tailor them to their own needs, experiences and interests with the teaching team facilitating this individualized learning approach. This will provide an environment that encourages creativity and critical reflection, which can be adapted to a wide variety of learning styles. However, we will need to confirm that student collaboration and interactivity are maintained as they are key enablers of learning in online environments. Feedback from students throughout the semester indicating that the personal support from each member of our teaching-team and the consideration shown to students by the University created a positive learning environment that made students feel valued and understood.