Internship for Agricultural Sciences

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

300 hours

Confirmation of enrolment in this subject will require approval by the Subject Coordinator or Faculty Enrichment Officer and be based on students having secured a host organisation and submitted details of their internship placement via the EMS database prior to the commencement of the teaching period.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject involves completion of an 200 hours of work placement, integrating academic learning, employability skills and attributes and an improved knowledge of organisations, workplace culture and career pathways. The placement is supplemented by pre- and post-placement classes designed to introduce skills for developing, identifying and articulating employability skills and attributes and linking them to employer requirements. The placement should draw on specific discipline skills associated with the course of enrolment. Pre-placement seminars will also include consideration of career planning and professional skills.

Students are responsible for identifying a suitable work placement prior to the start of semester, with support from Subject Coordinator and Faculty Enrichment Officer. In the semester prior to the placement students should attend Melbourne Careers Centre (MCC) employment preparation seminars and workshops and access other MCC and Faculty resources to help identify potential host organisations http://careers.unimelb.edu.au/home. Students will need to commence their approaches to organisations at least 4 weeks before the placement. More information is available on the Faculty website: http://students.fvas.unimelb.edu.au/fvas-programs/industry-placements. Placements must be approved by the Subject Coordinator or Faculty Enrichment Officer prior to commencement. If you have problems finding a placement you should approach the Subject Coordinator or Faculty Enrichment Officer well in advance of the teaching period.

On completion of the subject, students will have completed and reported on a course-related project in a workplace. They will also have enhanced employability skills including communication, interpersonal, analytical and problem-solving, organisational and time-management, and an understanding of career planning and professional development.

On completion this subject, students should be able to:

• Identify and articulate their knowledge and skills and apply them to relevant organisational contexts and work-settings; as well as linking them to specific professions and career pathways
• Produce original work in an appropriate format which demonstrates analytical, research and problem-solving skills
• Review and reflect on the process and output of a work project/placement to articulate their academic and career development learning from the experience
• Understand the value of industry and professional networks and their importance to self-reliance, lifelong learning and career progression

• A 2000 word reflective journal including a log of hours worked due during the examination period worth 20%
• A 6000 word report or professional portfolio due 3 weeks after the completion of the project worth 60%
• A 20-minute oral presentation on the internship placement (equivalent to approximately 2000 words) and host supervisor assessment report due in the second last week of semester worth 20%

HURDLE REQUIREMENT:

• 200 hours of satisfactory work placement

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, time management and organisational skills as a result of their participation in the workplace
• Ability to communicate effectively in a professional workplace and to work with and interact with a wide range of people inside and outside their host organisations, including working in teams
• Understanding of organisational culture and ethics, work practices, and the diversity of workplaces
• Demonstrate analytical, problem-solving research, and report-writing skills
• Ability to manage and plan work
• Capacity for initiative and enterprise
• Capacity for lifelong learning, self reliance and professional development