Abstract:

Access, preparedness and success of students are widely debated issues in higher education worldwide. Within the higher education sector there have been calls for increased graduate employability and graduate work-readiness, particularly graduates from universities of technology. Lack of workplace placements is a huge stumbling block for graduates entering the world of work. It limits their ability to access work, their ability to cope in a work environment, this further lowers the throughput rate of the university.

The Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) offers career-orientated education, which consists of a theoretical as well as a practical training component (also known as the Work-Integrated Learning Programme). Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a compulsory component of a number of instructional programmes offered at the Central University of Technology, Free State. Academic knowledge is applied into action through relevant work experience with WIL employers, then knowledge, experience and insights are brought back to class for further analysis and reflection. The aim of the WIL programme is to integrate academic knowledge with work experience in the appropriate field. WIL prepares the graduate for work readiness. Such preparation takes place in a suitable organisation, which is approved by the WIL co-ordinator.

Given this background, the study was undertaken to explore the challenges experienced by WIL engineering students. A quantitative approach using a descriptive survey research design was used. The instrument used to collect data was a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 100 students placed with engineering companies in the Free State province of South Africa.

The results showed among others, poor supervision of students by their industry mentors and lack of monitoring of students while in workplace by their university mentors. On the basis of these findings it was recommended that greater focus should be placed on developing and strengthening university –industry partnerships that are result oriented.

Keywords:

Work-Integrated Learning, University of Technology, work readiness, employability, mentorship, industry cooperation, partnerships.