Understanding Work Experience

Work Experience offers you the opportunity to integrate academic theory and ‘real world’ practice. You will enhance your technical and leadership skills whilst gaining experience in the workforce and insight into professional practice. For our Engineering and Masters of Applied Cybernetics Work Experience is required as part of your studies. Unlike an Internship, students must organise their own work experience.

Who has to complete work experience and why?

Work experience is a compulsory component of your degree if you are studying:

  • Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
  • Bachelor of Engineering (R&D) (Honours)
  • Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours)
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Software Engineering
  • Master of Applied Cybernetics or Master of Applied Cybernetics (Advanced)

For engineering students, the completion of Work Experience is REQUIRED to graduate as an accredited professional.

For students enrolled in the Master of Applied Cybernetics, Work Experience is listed as CECS8005 Applied Cybernetics Professional Experience. CECS8005 is eligible only to students admitted to the Master of Applied Cybernetics program.

The difference between work experience and an internship

Work experience is a mandatory requirement of your degree but does not count for any credit. Work experience is organised by YOU! Engineering students are required to undertake work experience and enrol in one of the following courses:

Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours)(ASENG) students required to complete COMP4800, should contact studentemployability.cecc@anu.edu.au for further instruction.

For-credit internship courses ENGN3200/ENGN6200 and COMP4820/COMP8830 are offered by the College through an application process and are optional, assessed and count for 6-24 units of credit.

The requirements for work experience

ENGN3100:

Undergraduate Engineering students are required to undertake 12 weeks (420 hours) practical work experience. A minimum of 8 weeks should be in an engineering environment, under the supervision of an accredited engineer. The remaining 4 weeks can be in any sort of employment.

CECS8005/ CYBN8005:

See requirements for work experience is specified under CECS8005 - Applied Cybernetics Professional Experience and CYBN8005 - Applied Cybernetics Professional Experience.

Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours)(ASENG) students required to complete COMP4800, should contact studentemployability.cecc@anu.edu.au for further instruction.

Your Work Experience timeline

There are seven key steps involved in the completion of your work experience placement. Please refer to the ENGN3100​ page fore more information.

How to enrol in work experience?

To complete your Work Experience placement, you will need to enrol in one of the following courses via ISIS:

Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours)(ASENG) students required to complete COMP4800, should contact studentemployability.cecc@anu.edu.au for further instruction.

All work experience courses are zero units, and therefore do not attract a course fee.

How to secure a placement?

By searching for your own work experience opportunities, you are gaining valuable insight into the job application process. Applying for jobs can be tricky, but luckily, there are many resources and support services available to help you find work, develop resumes and cover letters, and practice for interviews.

STEP 1: Understand the type of work experience you would like to get. Consider what industry, functions, location you would like to work in. This information can guide your job search.

STEP 2: Look for advertised opportunities or approach companies directly. Common places to look include:

Job search hint: don’t just search for ‘work experience’. Jobs advertised as part-time, casual and internship programs can often meet the requirements for work experience so don’t limit your options.

STEP 3: Develop a professional looking CV (resume) and cover letter. Utilise the resources available through ANU Careers for developing a professional and tailored application that clearly showcases your interest in gaining experience in a particular company.

  • CV360 tool: get feedback on your CV through this interactive tool.

STEP 4: Prepare for interviews and other selection activities. ANU Careers also has resources to assist with these particularly the ANU Careers Toolkit. Book in and practice your interview skills at the ANU Career Central. This is a specially designed space, which allows you to practice your interview skills using the latest interview simulation software.

I've completed ENGN3200 Engineering Internship. Do I have to submit a report for ENGN3100?

Work hours undertaken for the Engineering Internship course ENGN3200 can be counted towards ENGN3100 Work Experience requirements. You do however still need to submit a report and required evidence for ENGN3100.

If your total work hours counted towards ENGN3200 are less than 420 hours, you are required to account for other work experience that brings total hours of work experience to 420 hours in your ENGN3100 report.

420 HOURS COUNTED TOWARDS ENGN3200

Do I need to self enrol in ENGN3100 to graduate? Yes

Do I need to submit ENGN3100 Report? Yes

Required documents to submit for ENGN3100:

  • You must submit the following items via ENGN3100 Wattle site: - ENGN3200 Internship Report; ENGN3200 e-Journal and ENGN3200 Supervisor’s Report
  • Note: Evidence of the total hours completed for ENGN3200 may be required if your ENGN3200 Supervisor’s Report does not include the total hours completed.

MINIMUM 280 HOURS (covering the full engineering component) COUNTED TOWARDS ENGN3200

Do I need to self enrol in ENGN3100 to graduate? Yes

Do I need to submit ENGN3100 Report? Yes

Required documents to submit for ENGN3100:

  • You must submit the following items via ENGN3100 Wattle site: - ENGN3200 Internship Report - ENGN3200 e-Journal - ENGN3200 Supervisor’s Report
  • Note: Evidence of the total hours completed for ENGN3200 may be required if your ENGN3200 Supervisor’s Report does not include the total hours completed.
  • In your submission you must also include the following documents for your additional or non-engineering work completed elsewhere: - A formal letter of employment from your employer (detailing the duration of the placement including total hours, the nature of work undertaken and your supervisors name and position details) - A Feedback form completed by the employer.

240 HOURS COUNTED TOWARDS ENGN3200

Do I need to self enrol in ENGN3100 to graduate? Yes

Do I need to submit ENGN3100 Report? Yes

Required documents to submit for ENGN3100

  • You must submit the following items via ENGN3100 Wattle site: - ENGN3200 Internship Report - ENGN3200 e-Journal - ENGN3200 Supervisor’s Report
  • Note: Evidence of the total hours completed for ENGN3200 may be required if your ENGN3200 Supervisor’s Report does not include the total hours completed. You are still required to complete the remaining 40 hours of engineering work to meet the minimum 280 hours of the engineering work component for ENGN3100. *You do not need to provide a technical report for your remaining 40 hours of engineering work completed elsewhere or completed with the same employer but not counting towards your ENGN3200; however, in your submission you must include the following documents for the remaining engineering work hours: A formal letter of employment from your employer (detailing the duration of the placement including total hours, the nature of work undertaken and your supervisors name and position details). A Feedback form completed by the employer.
  • In your submission you must also include the following documents for your non-engineering work completed elsewhere: A formal letter of employment from your employer (detailing the duration of the placement including total hours, the nature of work undertaken and your supervisors name and position details).A Feedback form completed by the employer.

Need Help?

Contact CSS Student Employability team at studentemployability.cecc@anu.edu.au.

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