Paid and Unpaid WIL – An equity issue requiring a multi-stakeholder solution
In an interactive panel session at the 2024 ACEN conference entitled “To Pay or Not to Pay: What Impact on Quality?” panel members and delegates raised key issues related to monetary and in-kind support to students completing placement-based WIL. A key over-riding theme throughout the discussion demonstrated that payment scenarios have resulted in a major equity issue that can only be resolved with a multi-stakeholder solution. The panel gave a presentation about key principles in paid/unpaid WIL and then invited feedback from over 80 of the session delegates via Mentimeter. Delegates raised key issues with unpaid and paid WIL, identified current paid WIL practices and made suggestions to facilitate paid WIL by a variety of stakeholders. A summary of delegate responses is included.