Transfer of Knowledge to the Future Workforce through Optimizing Work-Integrated Learning

Abstract

The effective transfer of knowledge in a workplace setting is critical to ensuring continuity and gaining a competitive advantage. Work-Integrated Learning is one of the strategic options commonly used to facilitate knowledge transfer from experienced industry practitioners to university graduates who are the future workforce. The aim of the study was to investigate stakeholders’ perspectives of the effectiveness of Work-Integrated Learning in transferring knowledge to university graduates who are to join the real-world or workplace settings. Work-Integrated Learning is a partnership between different stakeholders working together to address graduate unemployability. The main concern is the misalignment between the university curriculum and the skills required in real-world settings. There is need for experienced employees to transfer their knowledge to university graduates who are being prepared for the real-world or workplace settings. A qualitative research approach was used to achieve the objectives of the study. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used to collect data.  Participants were selected from relevant stakeholders in the Work-Integrated Learning programme. Stakeholders included lecturers, WIL co-ordinators and industry WIL supervisors. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. This study adopted a cross-sectional design and was conducted in a selected university of technology, focusing on a specific academic department, namely Business and Information Management (BIM). Overall, the findings revealed that the Work-Integrated Learning programme was an effective option to transfer knowledge to university graduates to join the real-world or workplace settings and become productive. However, participants highlighted a need to continuously review and align the university curriculum with the skills needs of the real-world environment. In addition, participants highlighted some challenges, the main challenge being that the Working-Integrated Learning programme was viewed as an additional workload. This study provides the necessary insights to develop policy and decision-making to foster the transfer of knowledge to university graduates as part of preparing them for the workplace through WIL.