Engineering professional experience

Before you can apply for professional experience, you need to have:

• successfully completed at least 192 credit points
• completed any relevant prerequisite unit(s).

You'll need to:

• enrol in the Engineering Professional Experience unit
• complete the Work Integrated Learning module on VU Collaborate.

You'll need to seek out your own professional placement.

Engineering students are eligible to access services provided by professional bodies such as Engineers Australia and Professionals Australia.

Since all our engineering courses are accredited by Engineers Australia, VU engineering students are eligible to get free student membership until they complete their course.

Resources to help your search:

• VU Careers Hub
• Engineers Australia student membership
• Engineers Australia Work Experience Brochure
• Young Professionals Australia website

If you can't find a placement, the Course Chair or a nominee in collaboration with the Industry Engagement Coordinator and VU Careers Hub team can provide support. 

Make a booking for an in-person or online meeting by contacting: engineering.work.experience@vu.edu.au

You'll need to use the online tool, VU WIL using the ‘self-placement’ option, to upload EPE related documents for approval.

Submit your documents

Course chair (or nominee) needs to see official letter, email, or contract with company letterhead, that includes:

• confirmation of employment
• job descriptions
• start and end dates.

Login to InPlace WIL to upload your documentation (student SSO login details required).

We'll let you know when you have approval and contact the employer with more information.

Get employer sign off

You'll also need to upload on the VU WIL System before the placement starts:

• an Engineering Professional Experience Sign-On Form signed with your industry supervisor
• completed WIL agreement.

Login to InPlace

During your placement, you will need to identify relevant learning events and then write six reflections.

Reflections must be written in the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Reflection) format and address the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies and submitted via VU WIL.

Each of the six reflections will be meet the below requirements:

• Address the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies – Out of the six reflections, at least five must be from sections two and three; each reflection must address a different competency
• Improve understanding – Selected learning events should have helped you understand better or do a better job as a professional engineer.
• STAR Reflection Framework – Discussion should be written in the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Reflection) format
• Length – Each reflection should be around 300 words

The reflections will be marked by the Course Chair or a nominee against the above as a pass or fail. You'll will have the option to resubmit for a fail.

Login to inPlace

Sign off

After completing an approved work experience, a sign-off form will be generated and sent through the VU WIL system to the supervisor email address.

The form will include an assessment by the industry supervisor based on technical and professional attributes using a marking rubric. The supervisor will also get a chance to provide any feedback through the online form.

Completion

If the supervisor's sign off is satisfactory, the placement will be marked as a ‘completed’ status on VU WIL.

The Course and Unit Administrators (CUAs) will be notified that the student has completed the EPE requirement of the engineering course once 450 hours have been completed in VU WIL.

Organisations must provide a suitable and supervised work environment that allows students to fulfil the requirements of the Engineering Professional Experience placement. Training in professional engineering settings may involve technical engineering tasks, engineering-related tasks, engineering consulting, or industry-based research and development.

• A suitably qualified engineer is nominated by the host employer to provide direct supervision for the student undertaking placement.
• Complete the Engineering Professional Experience Sign-On Form received from the student.
• Prior to the start of the placement, ensure that the student has completed an OHS induction.
• Complete the Engineering Professional Experience Assessment form after the student has completed the placement
• Cooperate with the university in providing feedback and evaluations as part of the post-placement process.
• Once all Engineering Professional Experience placement requirements have been met, the Engineering Professional Experience placement ceases. Any further engagement between the student and the host employer must be negotiated under voluntary or employment arrangements. Victoria University is not involved in this process.