How academics can play a more influential role during a year-in-industry placement: A contemporary critique and call for action

Abstract

Universities worldwide are tasked with producing employable graduates capable of operating in evolving, complex, and global labour markets. Research into the effectiveness of year-in-industry placements to facilitate such objectives often portrays the dominant actors as students, employers, managers, and (de)centralised placement teams. Framing this as our point of departure, we propose that academics can play a more influential role. Our essay discusses the challenges for academics of designing, delivering, and assessing a year-in-industry placement module. Next, we consider the opportunities for students to enhance their self-perceived employability. We conclude with a call for innovative thinking, knowledge sharing, and empirical research.