College of Creative Arts, Design & Humanities

College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities

Work Integrated Learning (WIL)

WIL activities

Apply your skills and knowledge in a relevant real-world setting, gain valuable work-ready skills, and develop your industry connections through our Work Integrated Learning (WIL) activities. As a College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities student you will have the opportunity to undertake WIL activities such as internships and organisation-based projects as part of your course work. 

Professional experience courses are available to third-year students studying:

  • Architecture
  • Art and Design
  • Creative Arts
  • Film and Television
  • Humanities
  • Interior Architecture
  • Journalism
  • Media and Communication
  • Urban and Regional Planning

About internships

Internships involve students working on-site within an organisation for the minimum number of hours applicable to their course. Internships are typically unpaid, and are formally assessed as part of the student's course requirements.

Students must be supervised by a senior staff member working in a discipline relevant to the student's area of study. Supervisors are expected to provide guidance and regular feedback, fostering a mentoring-style relationship throughout the internship. 

Tasks assigned should be meaningful and appropriate to the student’s skill level. Administrative and unrelated duties should be kept to a maximum of 10% throughout the duration of the internship.

About projects

A project is a structured piece of work offered by an employer to an individual student or a small team of students that leads to the delivery of agreed, tangible outcomes. Projects may focus on one study area or involve multiple disciplines and is formally assessed.

Students are required to complete the minimum number of off-site work hours applicable to their course. Employers are expected to meet with students at least three times throughout the project to monitor, provide feedback, and deliver the outcomes. Projects are usually unpaid. 

The project should be supervised by a manager with experience in the relevant field. Tasks must be meaningful and match the student’s skill level. Students must complete the relevant course requirements before commencing.

FAQs

Internships involve students working on-site with an organisation for a set minimum number of hours. They are usually unpaid and assessed as part of the course.

Projects are structured tasks provided by an employer to one or more students, resulting in a defined outcome. They are formally assessed and may involve one or multiple disciplines.

Work experience and volunteering are unpaid, non-assessed activities outside of the professional experience course. Work experience is usually related to your study area, while volunteering can be in any field.

For all types of professional experiences students must contact their College WIL team to ensure all relevant documentation is completed, and they are covered by the University’s insurance.

Professional experience, whether through an internship, project, work experience or volunteering connects you with professionals in your field, expands your network, and provides a valuable opportunity to apply your learning and further develop your skills in a relevant real-world setting. It’s a key part of your academic journey and career development, helping you explore your areas of interest and further shape your future direction. 

These experiences also support your personal growth, build confidence, and further develop your communication, organisational and work-ready skills, in preparation for launching your career after university. 

Students enrolled in the following programs are eligible to complete the professional experience course, upon completion of the relevant pre-requisites.

  • Architecture
  • Art and Design
  • Creative Arts
  • Film and Television
  • Interior Architecture
  • Journalism
  • Media and Communication
  • Urban and Regional Planning

Ideally, you’ll complete the internship or project during the same study period as the professional experience course you’re enrolled in.

You may start earlier, but you must contact your Course Coordinator for approval first. All students must also speak with the College WIL team to ensure all relevant paperwork is completed and they’re covered by the University’s insurance. 

If you begin without approval the hours won’t count for course credit. You can either complete the required hours during the study period or treat the earlier experience as not-for-credit and undertake a new professional experience.

Yes, you can source your own internship, project, work experience and volunteering opportunity. but please speak with your College WIL Team first. 

The College WIL team is also actively engaging with industry to source internship and project opportunities. These will be posted on the College WIL Hub. 

Work experience and volunteering opportunities may be advertised via CareerHub or occasionally emailed to students.

If you're currently enrolled as an Adelaide University student, you're eligible for coverage under the University's insurance policy. This includes internships, projects, work experience, volunteering, and any type of fieldwork.

For unpaid placements, you are legally required to complete the relevant agreements and paperwork before commencing. If you're being paid for your placement, the host organisation is responsible for your insurance, but a formal agreement is still required to be in place and completed prior to commencing.

Please contact your college WIL team well before your professional experience begins, to get the relevant documentation and insurance underway.

Before you start looking for a professional experience opportunity, take time to set your goals. What kind of experience are you after? What type of organisation or environment suits you? What do you want to learn or achieve?  As an Adelaide University student, you can complete the career modules on the College WIL Hub to help you get started.

Once you’ve clarified your goals, update your resume and LinkedIn profile (if you have one). Research the organisations you're interested in and start building your network: talk to people, ask questions, and explore opportunities that align with your goals. 

Choose an organisation that aligns with the industry, professional skills and personal growth opportunities you're aiming for. You’re not limited to South Australia, but if you're planning an interstate or overseas opportunity, please speak with your College WIL team early.

You can nominate your own host organisation or select one listed on your course site. If nominating your own, you must get approval from the College WIL team before contacting them. 

If you're seeking work experience independently, approval is still required to avoid clashes with assessed internships and projects. 

Once you've secured an internship, review your Course site then contact your College WIL team with the following information:

  • Provider name and supervisor’s contact details
  • Planned start and end dates
  • Your full name, student ID and program code

Students undertaking an internship or project will also need to complete a WIL Agreement and timesheets. The College WIL team will guide you through the next steps once you’ve made contact.

Host organisations won’t expect you to be an expert in your field or know their operations in detail. But having a general understanding of the industry and its challenges will help you settle in faster and make your time with them more valuable—for both you and the organisation.

Whether you’re completing an internship, project, or volunteering, you’ll be expected to act professionally. This includes:

  • arriving on time
  • dressing appropriately
  • following any procedures or rules set by the organisation.

If you’re unsure about what’s expected, check in with your host before you start.

If you have any issues during your internship, try to resolve them early by speaking directly and respectfully with your supervisor. If that’s not possible, contact the College WIL team as soon as you can – they are there to help. Whether the issue is big or small, sorting it out quickly will make your experience more positive.

Most internships and projects are unpaid. However, some organisations may choose to offer payment for your work.

If you are paid, this creates an employment relationship with the organisation. This means you will no longer be covered by the University’s insurance. You must notify your college WIL team if your internship or project becomes a paid opportunity. You will also need to speak with your supervisor to confirm that you are covered by the organisation’s insurance policies.

Are you an employer interested in providing a student internship or project opportunity?

Please contact the College of Creative Arts, Design and Humanities WIL team, to discuss. They look forward to speaking with you.

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