Industry placements
The Industry Placement Program offers our international students valuable business experience with Australian organisations.
It also provides an opportunity for students to apply theories and concepts from the MIB program to real-life business situations to enable reflection and reinforcement of learning.
The Industry Placement Program is an elective in the MIB. Upon satisfactory completion of the Program students will receive credit for one elective in the MIB.
Students are assigned to defined projects with host organisations. These projects include field-work at the host organisation.
MIB students are graded and assessed on the outcomes of the project.
Program objectives
The object of the Industry Placement Program is to provide a learning experience for MIB candidates which integrates theory and practice.
An Industry Placement typically runs for eleven weeks to allow sufficient time for a substantive project that will provide practical experience.
Depending on the precise details of each project, students may be asked to work up to 5 days per week in the company, although usually it is about 2-3 days per week.
What type of projects will be considered?
When deciding upon suitable projects, the major determinants are that the project:
- is capable of being completed within the time frame
- gives a good insight into how business is done in Australia
- has depth and breadth enough, to build on the MIB studies already completed
What remuneration will students receive?
Students are not paid by the company; however, the company will provide access to all office facilities required for the project duing the placement. The company will also arrange all necessary statutory insurances. Any essential out of pocket costs will be met by the company.
What is expected of students?
There is a requirement for students to sign a confidentiality agreement with the company, and this will be arranged before the Placement commences
Students are expected to be pro-active in ensuring that their Project progresses satisfactorily. Most industry placements involve a specific project with specific time-lines and companies do not normally expect to provide day to day supervision.
In the early weeks, students should be asking questions to clarify and define the project milestones and deliverables. Once these milestones and deliverables are set students are expected to get on with the task of collecting information, assembling data, discussing alternative recommendations with a variety of staff in the company, and writing a major report on what they have achieved.
Students are also expected to keep in weekly contact with the MIB School Office.
How is the placement assessed?
The precise assessment arrangements for each project will vary. However, certain minimum requirements, consistent with all MIB courses, must be met. Specifically, there will be three separate pieces of assessment, totalling 6,000-8,000 words.
Most placements will involve a piece of assessment near the beginning of the project when the planning stage is completed.
A Project Outline may be a typical assessment piece forat this stage. Some projects may also require a literature review, a data collection process, or some form of secondary research. In almost all cases there will be a significant project deliverable, usually taking the form of a final report, although in certain circumstances this may be a formal presentation to the company executive team.
Benefits of the program
Students will gain an insight into how business is done in Australia. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge from the MIB Program. They may also establish contacts and networks to assist with future career placement.
Some participating companies
Finding a project
Students wishing to do the Industry Placement Program should contact the Program Director at least 8 weeks prior to the start of the Study Period in which they wish to undertake the course. This should be done using the designated Application Form available from the MIB Office.
The IGSB maintains a register of suitable projects which students can review in order to determine whether there is a project which suits their needs. Once a student has identified a potential project, the Program Director will then accompany them to an interview with a representative of the company concerned. If all parties are willing to proceed, the Program Director will then locate an appropriate supervisor to manage the placement.
Thereafter, a contract will be drawn up to cover issues related to insurance, completion dates, and confidentiality of company information.
Next step
Current students in the Local MIB, who meet the requirements for the program and who seek to participate, should contact the MIB Program Director to proceed.