Introducing simulated work-integrated learning in engineering diploma final projects

Abstract or Summary

As engineering education evolves, it is placing greater emphasis on producing work ready graduates. Graduates need a range of soft skills in addition to technical skills and engineering knowledge. The soft and technical skills are often enhanced via student work placements. Workplace learning implemented as a formal aspect of higher education curricula is often called Work Integrated Learning (WIL). In simulated WIL, a scenario like workplace learning is created within an educational institution. Within academic institutions, emphasis is placed on project work to build soft and technical skills. This paper/presentation will focus on using simulated WIL for cross-discipline final semester engineering diploma students at a New Zealand polytechnic.