Enhancing graduates' enterprise capabilities through work-integrated learning in co-working spaces.

Area of Science:

• Higher Education Studies
• Business and Management
• Workforce Development

Background:

• Industry demands future-ready graduates with enterprise capabilities like critical thinking and collaboration.
• Gaps persist between employer expectations and higher education (HE) graduates' skills.
• Work-integrated learning (WIL) is key for developing these enterprise capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how co-working spaces can facilitate small-to-medium enterprise (SME) involvement in WIL.
• To assess the development of HE students' enterprise capabilities through WIL in co-working spaces.
• To identify enablers and challenges for SME engagement in WIL within co-working environments.

Main Methods:

• Piloted two rounds of business student internships in a large co-working space.
• Surveyed and interviewed students and workplace supervisors.
• Gathered qualitative and quantitative data on skill development and participant experiences.

Main Results:

• Co-working spaces synergize with SMEs to foster student enterprise capabilities, including communication, critical thinking, and confidence.
• Students gained exposure to entrepreneurial mindsets, collaboration, and networking opportunities.
• The co-working environment presented unique training and development avenues for students.

Conclusions:

• Co-working spaces offer a viable model to increase SME participation in WIL.
• This model effectively leverages environments to cultivate future-capable graduates.
• Findings provide insights for designing WIL strategies that benefit SMEs and HE students.