We’re here to answer any questions you may have about work-integrated learning at Deakin.
Work-integrated learning
Progressive, real-world learning
Choose from business internships, entrepreneurship, consulting or social impact programs in Australia and overseas, and gain credit towards your degree. You'll get real-world experience and the skills to help you succeed in your career.
Get the experience you need to land the job that you want
Work experience can make all the difference when you graduate, helping you stand out to future employers. Work-integrated learning (WIL) at Deakin’s Faculty of Business and Law is an opportunity to explore professional experiences in businesses, consulting teams, community organisations and more.
We make work-integrated learning easy
Work-integrated learning units are built into many of our courses, ensuring you get to have at least one of these great experiences while you study. With our WIL team behind you every step of the way, and plenty of options to choose from, you’ll be fully supported as you select, apply for and complete your WIL unit.
Gain a career edge with WIL
Commerce graduate Kai shares how work-integrated learning experiences helped him stand out in the job market and secure a dream graduate role.
Apply your academic learning on an internship
Get out of the classroom and experience real-world business practice firsthand as you test business theory in the workplace and take the benefits of experience back into the classroom. You’ll also get to network with professionals in the field you're interested in. An internship is a great way to narrow down which career path you want to follow.
International internships
Choose an international internship or consultancy experience and work with a team or on your own. Experience work or tackle a business challenge in a business or organisation overseas. Enhance your intercultural capabilities and understanding of business operations in different markets and enjoy cultural and tourist highlights as well.
Take part in a social impact program
Business for social impact projects place you with a community or not-for-profit organisation to develop a business concept and plan that will create positive social or environmental change. Make a practical impact and apply ethical and responsible business practices, while building understanding of diverse community needs.
Tackle a business problem where you work
Students employed in a relevant full-time professional role can take an internship unit in their current workplace via an internal job rotation or project secondment. Gain experience outside of your current role while earning course credit.
The experience I gained from the Deakin Business Consulting Clinic allowed me to showcase and reinforce the soft skills I learned throughout my course. This has led me to secure an industry role with opportunities to grow my career.
Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws graduate
Business consulting programs for students
Deakin’s business consulting programs offer you the opportunity to develop your analytical and real-world skills while working in a team environment, and consulting to a real business. These programs are available for credit to undergraduate and postgraduate students across all faculties who are eligible to use it as a work-integrated learning unit towards their degree.
Australian Business Consultancy trimester program
This is a trimester-based program where you’ll work in small consultancy teams to explore and develop a strategy in response to a specific business problem. Guided by an industry program leader, you’ll liaise with the client to understand the nature of the problem, their requirements and capabilities before developing and delivering a final report and presentation of suggested strategies.
Meet course designer, entrepreneur 7 Levers co-founder Pete Williams
Business owners work directly with a small team of student consultants to identify growth opportunities and develop a practical, ready-to-implement roadmap for increasing their revenue using the 7 Levers of Business Framework.
Business consulting programs for employers
Participate in one of Deakin Business School's business consulting programs and work directly with our students.
Business Development Clinic eight-week program
The Business Development Clinic is a unique no-fee consultancy program that bridges the gap between business theory and business reality while helping small businesses grow. In an eight-week program, business owners work directly with a small team of student consultants to identify growth opportunities for their business, and develop a practical, ready-to-implement roadmap for increasing their revenue.
Program outcomes and benefits
In the first week, your student coaching team will conduct a complete ‘health check’ to assess how your business is faring across each of the 7 Levers. For the next seven weeks, you’ll meet with your team of student consultants to discuss opportunities to drive profit across each of the 7 Levers. When the course is complete, you’ll receive a detailed 5000+ word project brief with specific, ready-to-implement ideas to set you up for ongoing profit growth.
How businesses can participate
To participate in this unique consulting opportunity, you will need to be available to:
- Attend a pre-set 90-minute session to meet your student consultants.
- Be available over 4–5 weeks for mutually beneficial calls and email correspondence with the student consultants.
- Attend a 30-minute final pitch presentation.
- Businesses aren't required to provide a profit and loss statement, but this may assist the student consultants in providing a more detailed and effective brief.
Learn more and register for your business at the Business Development Clinic website
Australian Business Consultancy trimester program
Businesses involved benefit from having a multidisciplinary team develop a strategic solution to a specific challenge or business problem. Students engage with the client through a virtual collaboration platform and a series of regular meetings to clarify project deliverables and gather any data required from the business.
Contact us
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