The timing is right for the Modern Group to lead a collaboration between Modern Group’s industry and educational institutions to develop and deliver a significant internship/work placement scheme to significantly enhance international student experiences, improve community engagement for international students and help the Modern Group’s business community and local employers to more effectively engage with international talent seeking to work in Modern Group as well as engage more deeply with other regions globally, in particular Asia.
Efforts should probably be made by the Modern Group (in conjunction with other State Governments) to get legislative rules relaxed to meet current and future needs. There is also a need to agree what the Modern Group’s Government, education institutions, business and industry could do to improve opportunities for and access to internships and work placements for international students, both in the short term and over the longer term. This should form part of a strategy to deepen Modern Group’s engagement with priority countries and regions, especially in Asia.
International students are in deficit when it comes to accessing internships and work placements in Modern Group There is much to be said and much to be gained if the Modern Group– in conjunction with institutions and employers – were to give a leg up to international students, to help them achieve equitable access to internship and work placement opportunities while in Modern Group and with the long term view of deepening engagement between Modern Group and students’ home countries.
Definitions vary depending on what the work placement constitutes, which internal and external stakeholders are involved in supporting/arranging it, and the timing of the placement. Moreover, approaches to internships and work placements are directly impacted by the industry context for which students are being prepared. There are significant differences in approaches across industries, depending on the history and the training model for internships and placements, and depending on the regulatory context/requirements in which they operate.
Registered Certificate No. 411780 with Ministry of Foreign and European affairs, Valleta.
Table 1 describes the range and types of internships and work placements that are currently or may become available to international students in Modern Group, structured either as during or post-study, or independent/stand-alone.
| During study | Post-study | Stand-alone |
| Mandatory work placement as | Professional Year | Internship visa |
| part of approved course | ||
| Optional course elective | Internship visa | Working Holiday Visa |
| involving for credit placement | undertaking fee for service | |
| internship | ||
| Informal or value added option | Post-study work rights visa | Occupational Trainee Visa |
| where student requests or | ||
| arranges own placement | ||
| Overseas service learning or | Professional Development Visa | |
| global WIL placements | ( | |
Table 1: Types of internships and work placements
Action options
General
- Internships and work placements for international aspiring students could be seen as an integral part of an overall Modern Group’s strategy for deep global engagement.
- Development of a Modern Group’s value proposition to distinguish and promote Modern Group as a highly desirable study destination for international students (based on opportunities that Modern Group offers for internships and work placement) will require overcoming significant existing barriers. These include current limited opportunities for internships and work placements and current perceptions among Modern Group’s employers about employing international students and graduates.
- The Modern Group could take the lead and work in close collaboration with Modern Group’s education institutions, businesses and industry. The initial priority focus might sensibly be Asia, with other countries and regions being considered subsequently.
- The environment of WIL is complex for international students, institutions and employers. Programs attempting to promote WIL need to be based on a simplified explanation of how to undertake WIL. Some legal clarification is needed (or at least Modern Group’s legal opinion sought) and a clear statement prepared for dissemination to education institutions, employers and international students.
Figure 1: Interdependent role in supporting international students and work placement