Further to our interview in Across Borders edition 1, 2024 with Dr Jill Bamforth (Academic Director Work Integrated Learning), Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) is delighted to launch the next phase of our collaboration with Swinburne University.
As a part of an extensive strategy to address the skills and labor shortage entering customs brokerage, freight forwarding and broader supply chain roles, we are delighted to present preliminary detail of the 2025 Swinburne University professional internship and placement program.
We highly recommend that members with Victorian operations consider this option.
As well as providing your organisation with valuable resources for the prescribed period, this initiative offers the ability to:- easily access fresh talent and build your employee pipeline;
- build your brand and reputation as a great place to work;
- increase diversity within your organisation;
- keep your finger on the pulse of new perspectives and different ways of thinking;
- give your staff an opportunity to develop leadership and mentoring skills; and
- drive your corporate social responsibility agenda.
Table comparing undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities
| | Part time 12 week Internship project in students discipline study area
(8-9.5 hours per week or 16-19 hours per week)
| Full time paid Placement – 12 months employment in students discipline study area | Differences |
| Undergraduate | Paid or unpaid (host organisation may or may not choose to take on student as an intern without pay)
Course information | Paid (host organisation expected to pay minimum wage or above)
Course information | Often have limited professional experience and may have no discipline experience. Likely to need closer mentorship. |
| Postgraduate | Yes – paid or unpaid
Course information | Not available | Often have professional experience which may, or may not, be in the discipline area they are studying. Likely to have strong initiative and self-management capabilities. |
| Recruitment process | - Industry host submits position description
- Swinburne advertises the opportunity to relevant, eligible students
- Swinburne will pass on any applications to the industry host on a regular basis
- Industry host will interview any suitable students
- Industry host will let Swinburne know when a student has accepted an offer of internship or placement
|
Work integrated learning requirements- Students must work in discipline area of study (e.g. Supply chain & logistics, marketing etc)
- Students must be supervised in industry by a person with experience in student's study area.
- 2025 Semester dates are Semester 1 (3 Mar to 1 June); Semester 2 (4 Aug to 2 Nov)
- Work restrictions
- Domestic students receive HECS funding for study and have no work restrictions
- Undergraduate and postgraduate internship students are only able to work up to 48 hours every fortnight during term time. Unpaid internship hours contribute to this limit.
- International students
- visa allows them to work 40 hours per week (see here).
- Internship hours are counted as paid (whether they are or not) by the government.
- Post degree International students are eligible to pay for a post degree work visa for 2-3 years (see here). This cost is borne by the student.
Reference materials- Fair Work Australia minimum paid rates please refer HERE
- Fair Work Australia guidelines on internships available HERE
- Hourly rates for different positions available HERE
- Professional placement & Internships brochure available HERE
For further detail on this initiative, please contact Swinburne University at employers@swin.edu.au
Caroline Zalai - Director FTA / Secretariat APSACopyright © 2024 Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) Pty Ltd, All rights reserved.