Facing the Unknown: Managing Work Integrated Learning in the Midst of Covid-19

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-006-0_9How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Work Integrated Learning; WIL; Environmental Health; Experiential training; Experiential Learning; Work Exposure

Abstract

This article provides a reflection into the experiences and challenges of a Work Integrated Learning coordinator regarding the management of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) for Environmental Health during Covid-19. It aimed to establish a comparison between the change in processes regarding WIL at a South African university offering the Environmental Health programme pre and post Covid-19. WIL can be described as a structured form of experiential training in a learning programme. It focuses on the application of theory through work-based learning or non-work-based learning and addresses specific competencies required for a qualification, coupled with the development of necessary skills that will render the student as employable and fit for the workplace. Work Integrated Learning exposure provides a bridge for students between academia and their profession. It allows students with an opportunity to apply and merge theoretical knowledge gained in academic studies to “real world” workplace practical experiences, and to prepare students for a career by providing an opportunity to develop relevant professional skills. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, WIL activities were predominantly student placements at WIL sites for a determined period. Covid-19 has forced academia to think of innovative means of meeting the objectives of WIL in the absence of physical placement. It has proven that although WIL can be substituted with unconventional methods for a short while, it must incorporate a component of physical exposure to render it successful.

Copyright

© 2023 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - M. Ruthanam
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/02/07
TI  - Facing the Unknown: Managing Work Integrated Learning in the Midst of Covid-19
BT  - Proceedings of The Focus Conference (TFC 2022)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 99
EP  - 109
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-006-0_9
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-006-0_9
ID  - Ruthanam2023
ER  -