Here’s Why Prac Is Essential for Students Who Want to Be Ready for the Workforce

Don’t just learn. Do.

This post is presented in partnership with the University of Newcastle.

Believe it or not, there are some students who love the classroom. Wild, I know.

We can't necessarily blame them (or you if you count yourself among this renegade faction). As you near the end of your studies, the prospect of leaving the class environment behind gets a little scary. You might find yourself—suddenly, shockingly—wanting to stay put just a little while longer.

Or, maybe you’ll be more than ready to get outta there.

Either way, you’re gonna have to apply your learning to the real world eventually. And students in a course with a 'prac' (short for 'practical') program will get to test out their knowledge earlier than most. Not only does this better prepare you for life, but it’s likely to help you secure a job either straight out of university or shortly thereafter.

Don’t believe us? Well, you can believe Melissa Moore, Senior Manager, Employability and Enterprise at the University of Newcastle. The uni offers more than 300 industry partnerships and practical experiences across every undergraduate degree, and last year advertised 3,000 jobs to students from recruiters who specifically wanted a graduate with on-the-ground experience.

She tells Student Edge why you shouldn’t sleep on a uni or institute that offers practical placements.

Prac helps you get to know yourself… and what you actually want to do.

"[It’s] absolutely critical," Melissa says of prac experience, explaining, "It’s a thing that allows students, first of all, to test their own identity against the profession they’ve chosen to target."

"We know that students need to understand the requirements; not just the technical requirements of the job they’re going into, but how to behave in the workforce, and how to actually embody the professionals that they’re trying to become.

"So yes, they get a chance to practice the learning that they’ve had in class; the academic theory they’ve developed. They can then go on and apply that in the workplace. But there’s a whole very personal thing happening at the same time where students are understanding the behaviours that are required in the workplace, and also shaping their identity so they fit within that puzzle."

Prac helps you transition from uni to the workplace.

Melissa tells us prac is also effective at helping you understand "how to apply for work, how to behave in interviews [and] how dedicated [you] have to be when looking for work."

"I think sometimes that’s a bit of a shock for some students, because they’ve gone through the first couple of years of study dedicating their focus to doing well in their academic courses, but they haven’t thought of that final step yet, about making that transition into the workplace and converting their degree into a career," she says.

"And if that thinking is reserved for the very last moment of their degree, then they’re the students that sometimes run into trouble. That’s why work integrated learning is great, because if they start earlier on in their degree thinking, 'I’m doing well in my course, what else can I do to convert this into a paid job?' then they’re more likely to be successful."

Prac provides you with professional contacts for job opps.

"You can’t deny that one of the major motivations for employers, in offering work-integrated learning, is an opportunity to have a look at the next crop of graduates that are coming through," Melissa says.

"And if they see someone who is outstanding, then they’ll keep an eye on that person."

That’s why prac can be additionally valuable to students. Not only do you gather experiences and contribute to projects in meaningful ways that can be added to your CV, but you can develop a network of contacts who are specifically looking for new staff to join their team.

Prac can be done basically anywhere (via University of Newcastle, at least).

"At the University of Newcastle, all of our undergraduate programs offer students the opportunity to do some form of work-integrated learning," Melissa explains.

"Established professions such as nursing ,teaching and allied health have a traditional structure of placements that can stretch up to 13 weeks in final years. However, there are other programs that offer shorter experience which can include virtual placements, or they’re doing project group work in consultation with an industry partner, or they’re going into the workplace to work in an office somewhere."

Melissa also explains that prac is never just one kind of thing, nor is it going to be spent twiddling your thumbs in an office.

"Midwifery is the best example [of virtual learning]," she explains.

For instance, the Road to Birth program gives students the chance to explore both a life-size simulation of the mother and her infant through all stages of pregnancy. With VR, the students are able to see and understand the physical changes to the mother’s internal organs as the baby grows. Midwifery students have the opportunity to use this pioneering technology firsthand.

On the other hand: "Students in creative industries often spend time working with galleries and museums. They do amazing design and consultation work with community groups that come in and need assistance."

Law students can get involved too, as Melissa explains. "Students in this program undergo a range of workplace learning opportunities. The 'Law on the Beach' program is an excellent experience of innovative workplace learning. Community members can come and get free legal advice from students who are supervised by academic staff. It’s very successful both in terms of providing support to the university’s community and also helping students build an practice their professional skills while they apply their academic learning.

"We also offer courses where students are encouraged to suggest a project or workplace where they can apply their learning. Of course, this needs to line up with the goals of the curriculum but if the opportunity is suitable then we will support where possible," Melissa says finally.

Be right back, gonna see if gathering bells for Tom Nook in Animal Crossing lines up with the curriculum...