Employability at GCU: The Real WoRLD Project

What is work-related learning?

The Quality and Curriculum Authority (QCA) defines work-related learning as:

…planned activities that use the context of work to develop knowledge, skills and understanding useful in work, including learning through the experience of work, learning about work and working practices, and learning the skills for work“. (QCA, 2003, Work-related learning for all at key stage 4: guidance for implementing the statutory requirement from 2004, Quality and Curriculum Authority, London).

Work-related learning activities can be integrated into all academic programmes, vocational and non-vocational ones. Examples are:

• work-placements and work experience with an organisation
• industry mentoring schemes
• job shadowing in the workplace
• case studies, role plays and simulations
• professional skills modules
• assessment based on client-based live projects
• enterprise training (e.g. advice on business start-up; commercialisation of knowledge; new venture creation)
• voluntary work opportunities
• field trips
• international exchanges

The Real WoRLD team developed a set of five principles of work-related learning. Based on recent pedagogic research findings, they are designed to provide a benchmark for good practice and guide staff in developing new modules and programmes.

Principles of work-related learning

Real WoRLD has designed a set of reflective questions that help academics in auditing their programmes for employability and work-related learning. Real WoRLD's audit tools

Links

• Work-related learning - a scoping study
• GCU Good Practice Examples
• Real WoRLD's principles presented at the DECOWE conference at the University of Ljubljana
• Real WoRLD's principles of work-related learning featured in ESCALATE newsletter

(view Aims and Objectives page)

Real WoRLD Project email: realworld@gcal.ac.uk

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