By guest contributor, the RMIT College of Business
It’s an accepted reality that the world of work is changing at a rapid pace. The Foundation for Young Australians reported that by 2030 every job will change as a result of an increase in automation, globalisation and flexibility (New Work Smarts 2017 Report). To navigate and keep pace with this changing world of work, learning needs to become a lifetime commitment and industry and education providers need to foster closer ties to embed this learning at an early stage in the process.
As a global university with a reputation for excellence in professional and vocational education and applied research, RMIT is committed to engaging with the needs of business and the community to produce graduates that are adequately equipped with the skills to manage industry demands and succeed in an evolving world.
RMIT utilises its connections with industry to embed work-integrated learning throughout the student journey, delivering industry-relevant education through workplace learning that prepares students for the workforce, whether it is real or simulated learning; undertaken in the workplace or in the classroom; or delivered face-to-face or online. Adam Seedsman, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Industry Engagement at RMIT stipulates that, “as an institution with a proud reputation of being industry-connected, RMIT takes great pride in creating transformative student experiences that prepare our students for life and work. RMIT’s industry partnerships are integral in delivering invaluable, real-work experiences that not only enhance skills and business acumen, but motivate and engage the students in the opportunities beyond university.”
With a long history of preparing students for the work force, the Co-operative Education Program (Co-op) has been designed by RMIT to equip students with the skills and capabilities to thrive and evolve to meet the needs of an ever-changing world of work. The programme provides an immersive, real-world learning experience for students enrolled in a four-year degree in disciplines such as accounting, economics, business information systems, international business, management, and marketing. The full-time, paid internship is undertaken for 8-12 months in the third year of study. According to Dr Peter Guenther from RMIT’s School of Economics, Finance and Marketing, “as the economics and finance sectors evolve with innovations such as fintech (e.g. blockchain technology) and Industry 4.0, the Co-op program develops a workforce with the professional skills and capabilities that the sector requires to thrive now and in the future.”