WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING AS A FUNDAMENTAL TOOL TO BE USED FOR UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION: A CASE OF A SELECTED HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION IN SOUTH AFRICA

This paper looks at the Work-Integrated Learning a fundamental tool to be used for University-Industry Cooperation. The objective of this research was to investigate the importance of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programme as a fundamental tool to be used for University-Industry Cooperation and contributing to the employability of Office Management and Technology graduates.

The nature of higher education in modern universities is changing rapidly as institutions take account of a number of major external factors, that is, there is increasing international recognition that the transition from the world of higher education into the world of employment is not always straight forward; it is also recognised that the academic curriculum is essentially a vehicle through which other attributes are delivered and these skills are directly transferable into a wide range of employment; and the world of employment is also changing rapidly (Fallows & Stephen, 2000:75).

Permanence is no longer a significant feature: traditional career paths have disappeared, entire industries have relocated to other areas of the world, new technologies have made established practice and experience irrelevant. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in particular must provide its graduates with the skills to be able to operate professionally within the workplace environment.

Higher education institutions were criticised because they do not offer adequate ‘soft skills’, for example, problem solving, communication, entrepreneurship, good citizenship, managerial skills, leadership skills and ‘generic skills’ needed to be learnt across any work of life. It was also established that, what was formerly the preserve of the workplace, tacit knowledge, skills, and attitudes that were developed through work experience should become drawn into the essential functions of higher education. Also, there was an expectation that the majority of graduates should be prepared with the general and specialised high-level skills required to be employable directly upon leaving the institution. This was succinctly summed up in the expectation that “once you get out of that institution, we are expecting you to hit the ground running” (Kruss, 2004:682).

The study took the form of both qualitative and quantitative research (mixed method). Questionnaires, both closed and open-ended questions were distributed to selected staff members in the Office Management and Technology programme. Also, the method adopted was to select key senior industry representatives of the employers of OMT graduates for interviews.

The findings confirmed that the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) was fundamental tool to be used for University-Industry Cooperation. Most universities has recently strengthened their commitment to WIL through adding WIL to their strategic directions and re-shaping areas of the university to better manage and support WIL provision.