INDUSTRIAL TRAINING
All Engineering students
are required to complete a minimum of 60 days of Industrial
Training as a component of their degrees. The Training should
be concurrent with enrolment and is best accumulated in
the summer recesses at the end of Years 2 and 3; however,
it must be completed by the end of Year 4. Industrial Training
will be assessed as a compulsory component of ELEC4122 Strategic
Leadership & Ethics. The 60 days can be accumulated
through more than one employer.
The objectives of Industrial Training
are:
 |
to
develop an appreciation of the structure and operation
of industrial organisations, |
|
to understand
the role of the engineer and engineering in industry, |
|
to appreciate
the importance of good communication and interpersonal
skills, and to develop these skills, and |
|
to appreciate
the ethical basis of engineering practice in industry |
For each period of training,
students are required to submit to the School of EE&T
an Industrial Training Certification
form with evidence from their employers, confirming
the work performed, together with a report. The report,
typically 2000-3000 words long, should give a brief description
of the company, summarise the actual tasks performed, and
address the extent to which the aims of Industrial Training
(set out above) have been met.
It is preferred that
some Industrial Training should be obtained in Australia.
When the training is conducted overseas, the report should
include a more detailed description of the company concerned.
You should expect to
be paid for your Industrial Training, at a rate of between
50% and 90% of the salary of a newly graduated engineer,
depending on your standing in your program and your prior
experience. Employers normally carry workers' compensation
and public liability insurance cover for paid Industrial
Training. The University of NSW also provides insurance
cover for this component of your program.
If your Industrial Training
is unpaid, you need to fill out a Risk
Assessment form and have it signed by your employer.
You will need to show us this form before we sign a Letter
of Indemnity for you to be covered by the insurance
policy of the University of NSW. Co-op Scholarship students
work explicitly under direction of UNSW and are therefore
automatically covered by the University's insurance policy.
For further information,
please contact the School of EE&T Industrial Training
Coordinators, Prof.
Rodica Ramer (Tel: 9385 4759), Dr
Julien Epps (Tel 9385 6579) and view the Faculty
Industrial Training website
While your primary contact
is the School Coordinator, the Industrial Training Coordinator
in the Faculty Office may be contacted by email industrialtraining@eng.unsw.edu.au.
Please also see the following
competitions:
Industrial Training : Frequently
Asked Questions
Requirements
Also see the Faculty of Engineering Industrial Training
web site: http://www.eng.unsw.edu.au/it/itproced/index.htm
Can I do my industrial training overseas ?
Yes. Completion of industrial training in Australia is preferred,
because you will be covered by insurance. The university
will not provide insurance if you undertake industrial training
overseas.
Should I defer my studies by one session course to do my
industrial training ?
Most students complete their industrial training requirements
during the vacation periods between sessions (or sometimes
part-time through the session), and there is generally no
reason to defer your studies. If your personal circumstances
make this difficult, or if you wish to undertake extended
industrial training, this is entirely possible, but be sure
to consult the School Office well in advance.
What do I do about insurance ?
This depends on whether you will be paid or not. See the
following two FAQs for more detail.
Do I need to fill out the Risk
Assessment Form and the Letter of Indemnity if the employer
is going to pay me for the job ?
No, if you are being paid then you should be covered under
the company’s workers compensation and public liability
insurance in Australia. If you are working overseas, then
different laws apply, and you may or may not be covered.
For this reason, the School recommends that you undertake
industrial training in Australia.
I have an unpaid job for my work experience. Do I need
to fill out any forms before I start the work?
Yes, you should complete a Risk
Assessment form and have it signed by your employer.
You will need to show this form to the School Office before
we sign a Letter of Indemnity
for you to be covered by the insurance policy of the University
of NSW.
Can I do my industrial training at the end of 1st or 2nd
year ?
You are encouraged to start seeking industrial training
early in your degree (the more experience you have before
graduating, the more attractive you are to prospective employers),
however a maximum of 10 days can be accredited towards your
industrial training requirement, and only for paid strictly
technical engineering work. Industrial training completed
before commencement of 2nd year cannot be accredited to
your requirement.
Can I complete my industrial training as part of my job,
after I finish my degree ?
The school requirement is that you complete your industrial
training before the end of 4th year, and preferably before
taking ELEC4122 Strategic Leadership and Ethics. However,
it is possible to complete your requirements after finishing
your degree, but note that you cannot graduate until you
have completed the industrial training requirement. For
advice, please contact the Industrial Training Coordinator.
What should I clarify with my company before I start my
industrial training ?
Your supervisor or senior colleague should have an engineering
position, and the proposed work should mainly include technical
engineering work.
Must all 60 days of my industrial training be technical
engineering ?
The majority of your industrial training, specifically not less than
35 days, must be engaged in completing technical electrical engineering
or telecommunications-related engineering tasks.The remainder should be
completed in engineering-related work, for example technical support,
sales in an engineering company, electrical wiring, testing or compliance checking.
.
What happens if I don’t complete my industrial training
requirement ?
Your graduation will be withheld until you do.
How does my industrial training affect the course ELEC4122
Strategic Leadership and Ethics ?
Currently, for administrative reasons, industrial training
is attached to ELEC4122 Strategic Leadership and Ethics.
This means that if you successfully complete ELEC4122 but
have not completed your industrial training, you will be
awarded a “PE” (result withheld). As soon as you have completed
your industrial training requirements (including submitting
the report), the result will be released. If you fail ELEC4122,
you will be informed by the school.
I am doing the Taste of Research Summer Scholarship. Does
this count towards my industrial training requirement ?
Yes, it can be accredited to a maximum of 50 days. The remaining
10 days must be sought from a company outside of a university
(or NICTA).
Can I get credit for industrial training I completed as
part of a degree I transferred from at another institution
?
No, not unless you were specifically awarded an exemption
by the university at the time of admission into your current
degree program. Industrial training must be completed during
your candidature in a UNSW engineering degree.
Organising Industrial Training
Does the School organise industrial training ?
No. The School will advertise for any companies seeking
industrial training students, but finding a company is your
responsibility. The reasoning behind this is that the process
of finding industrial training is nearly identical to that
for finding a job as a graduate, and the experience is instructive.
That said, UNSW Careers and Employment http://www.careers.unsw.edu.au/
may be a useful resource for you. Also check http://info.library.unsw.edu.au/Welcome.html
(Subject Guides > Engineering > Engineering > How
do I ? > Find company information > Company Information).
How can I find companies ?
Think about what kinds of engineering positions or companies
you are interested in, and search for them on the Internet.
If you want a list of companies in a particular industry,
UNSW Careers and Employment http://www.careers.unsw.edu.au/
may be able to assist.
How can I find referees ?
Think about who knows you and your work well, perhaps a
family friend or a current or former employer. These people
are in the best position to attest to your personal qualities.
If you require an academic referee, consult a staff member
with whom you have completed a coursework project (i.e.
someone who is closely familiar with your work).
Can I work for more than one company to complete my industrial
training requirement ?
Yes. Try to complete your industrial training requirement
at just one or two companies, to improve the depth of experience
you gain and reduce the time you spend filling out paperwork.
Report
How long should the report be ?
The report should be at least 2000 words long (around 4
pages) in single-spaced 12-point Times New Roman, although
many reports are longer. Try not to exceed 10 pages. Ensure
that you summarise the actual tasks performed,
and address the extent to which the aims of Industrial Training
(set out above) have been met.
Should I write one report for each company ?
No. For each company, you need to complete a new industrial
training certification form and have it signed. You only
need to write one full-length report (choose one company
for this). For the other companies, just describe briefly
(in perhaps half a page to a page) what the company does
and what tasks you performed there, and attach this to your
report.
Do I need a letter from each company ?
Yes. For proof of completion of a period of industrial training
with a company, you need your manager to sign the
industrial training certification form, indicating
the number of days you have worked, and the company stamp
(where possible).
How is the report assessed ?
The report is checked for compliance with the industrial
training requirements: It must give evidence of technical
engineering work that you have completed. You need to describe
the company and the type of work they perform, your
own tasks (giving enough technical detail to understand
what you did) and your role in completing
them, and your discussion of ethics in the workplace and
what you learned from the industrial training period.
I am a Co-op Scholarship student. Do I need to submit a
separate report ?
No, you can use the report you write for the Co-op office.
Just submit a copy to the school office, together with a
signature from your supervisor indicating how many days
you worked (certification form or Co-op evaluation form).
Accreditation is not automatic, you still have to submit
the report.
When is the deadline for submitting my industrial training
report so that I graduate on time ?
Industrial Training reports should be submitted before the
exam period, so that industrial training can be linked with
your ELEC4122 mark. Reports will be assessed as quickly
as possible, but if you want avoid a possible delay
to your graduation, please submit your report before the
exam period.
Will anyone read my report ?
Yes. The Industrial Training Coordinator reads all reports.
Excellent reports may be exhibited by the school for reference
by current and future students. Please communicate with
the Industrial Training Coordinator if you wish to exclude
your report from possible display.
Further Questions
If you have any doubts or further questions, please contact
the School’s Industrial Training Coordinator: Dr Julien
Epps (EE337, j.epps
=at= unsw.edu.au, 9385 6579).
Current Students
UNSW