Engineering Professional Experience

Unit code: NEF3000 | Study level: Undergraduate
Credit points
N/A
Location
Footscray Park
Prerequisites
Successful completion of 192 credit points.
(Or equivalent to be determined by unit coordinator)
Overview
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Overview

This unit provides an essential opportunity to apply your engineering knowledge in real-world professional settings, completing 450 hours (60 days) of approved experience under the supervision of a qualified professional engineer. Whether undertaken in person or in hybrid mode, this experience facilitates the development of key professional competencies, enabling you to engage with complex, interconnected systems and contribute meaningfully to engineering practice.

The unit is designed to support your development as a work-ready graduate by building key professional attributes such as technical capability, ethical judgement, communication, and teamwork. Reflective activities will guide you in evaluating your experiences against nationally recognised professional standards, preparing you for the responsibilities and expectations of the engineering profession. By completing this unit, you will deepen your professional identity and be equipped to navigate the complex challenges of 21st-century engineering practice.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  1. Implement engineering knowledge, methods, and tools in a professional context, demonstrating awareness of systems thinking and interdependencies within real-world engineering practice;
  2. Evaluate personal and team-based professional conduct in relation to ethical standards, risk management, and social, legal, and environmental responsibilities as defined by Engineers Australia;
  3. Integrate sustainability principles, human-centred approaches, and inclusive practices into engineering tasks, reflecting an understanding of engineering’s societal impacts; and
  4. Critically reflect on learning and professional development through structured activities, demonstrating intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and a commitment to lifelong learning in alignment with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies.

Assessment

For Melbourne campuses

Assessment type: Report
|
Grade: Pass/Fail
Supervisor Report
Assessment type: Portfolio
|
Grade: Pass/Fail
Student Reflections on Professional Experiences

To successfully complete this unit, students must pass both the Supervisor Report and Student Reflections.

Report: Students will be assessed against Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies by their industry supervisors, who must be tertiary-qualified engineers. The report will be graded on a pass/fail basis.
Portfolio: Students must submit six (6) reflections (300 words each) as part of a portfolio, with one reflection required after every 75 hours of work experience. Reflections must follow the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Reflection) and align with Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies.
• Each reflection must focus on a different competency, with at least four (4) reflections covering competencies from Sections 2 and 3 of the Engineers Australia Stage 1 framework.
• Students will receive feedback on their first reflection, if it is assessed as not being of a pass standard, students will have an opportunity to revise and resubmit it,

The approach to the portfolio ensures students engage in meaningful professional development, critically reflecting on their experiences and demonstrating industry-relevant skills.

Required reading

Required readings will be made available on VU Collaborate.

As part of a course

This unit is studied as part of the following course(s):

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil Engineering)
NHEC | Bachelor honours degree | Duration: 4 years

Refer to the course page for information on how to apply for the course. VU takes care to ensure the accuracy of this unit information, but reserves the right to change or withdraw courses offered at any time. Please check that unit information is current with the Student Contact Centre.

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