What is Unpaid Work Experience?
Work experience is a type of on the job training that is not a requirement of your studies. It allows you to enhance your learning in an organisational environment to gain a competitive edge in the job market.
By spending time learning in a workplace, you will discover more about workplace processes and communication, build your interpersonal skills and access a new professional network.
There are some strict conditions around unpaid work experience. These experiences need to be focussed on learning and aligned to your area of study. There are also restrictions on how many days you can engage in unpaid work experience.
For more information please review the Unpaid Work Experience Conditions factsheet.
I’ve been offered unpaid work experience, what do I do now?
To seek UQ approval for Unpaid Work Experience, the following two step process must be completed by you.
Step 1 - Complete the Unpaid Work Experience form
- Download the Unpaid Work Experience PDF form.
- Complete the Unpaid Work Experience form, including work experience provider details.
- Please make sure both you and the provider sign the completed form. This can be done electronically or in a printed format.
Step 2 - Request approval by UQ for Unpaid Work Experience.
- Open the UQ InPlace dashboard.
- Click to open the Self Placement submission located in your ‘To Do’ section. You can only undertake 30 days of work experience per calendar year. If you have reached the 30 day limit you will no longer be able to see the Self-Placement submission for Unpaid Work Experience option on your dashboard.
- Add the required information to the submission in InPlace (your signed Unpaid Work Experience PDF form will have much of this information).
- Upload the signed Unpaid Work Experience PDF to the submission in InPlace.
- Submit.
Detailed instructions (including screenshots) on how to make a Self Placement submission can be found here.
Your submission will then be considered for approval by your School/Faculty and further advice will be provided to you.
You will have access to a range of insurances for the time you are undertaking approved unpaid work experience. This is often a requirement of organisations offering Unpaid Work Experience.
If you have any other questions, please contact your School or Faculty. A list of contacts can be found here.
Students who are under 18 years of age at the time of commencing work experience must contact Student Enrichment and Successand discuss their circumstances.