Placements Current students

Placement essentials for students

JCU is dedicated to fostering graduates equipped with both robust academic knowledge and essential transferable skills to thrive in the dynamic and evolving career landscapes of the future. This is achieved by integrating authentic learning experiences into the curriculum and providing a diverse array of student placements, fieldwork opportunities, and project-based learning designed to deliver practical, hands-on experience tailored to professional contexts.

The nature of these opportunities varies based on your field of study and the specific professional requirements of your degree program. As JCU offers a range of professionally accredited degrees and placement types, you may encounter varied terminology. These include clinical placements, clinical education, professional placements, legal placements, professional experience, Profex, work-integrated learning (WIL), fieldwork, field trips, experiential learning, service learning, internships, professional industry experience, professional internships, and practicums.

Additionally, JCU incorporates subjects that provide practical experience through capstone projects, simulations, virtual learning environments, and collaborative project work, ensuring students are well-prepared for their professional journeys.

Placements and project-work based in business, industry, field and clinical settings require preparation:

Medicine, health, dentistry and veterinary students

Preparation checklists and forms by profession:

WIL organisations for Science and Engineering students

Expectations

A placement is like a job - you should present yourself in accordance with the organisation's dress standards and view the placement appropriately regarding punctuality, conduct and responsibilities. Also see the policy and legislation section.

Expenses

Not all placements are local and you may need to plan and budget for travel and accommodation costs, as you will need to organise these. If you are experiencing financial hardship, please speak to your placement coordinator or visit JCU Scholarships to find if any scholarships or grants may be available.

Insurance

Insurance cover is automatic for approved placements that are a course requirement. This means your enrolment must be correct before you start your placement. For further information please visit: student insurance.

Safety and Wellbeing

All members of our university community have a right to feel welcome, respected and safe. At James Cook University, we are committed to ensuring that our working and learning environment is free from discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual assault. Visit our Safety and Wellbeing page to find contact details, support and advice.

On a placement you must adhere to all legislative requirements, occupational health and safety requirements, security requirements, confidentiality and privacy requirements, and any other rules, bylaws, policies, and procedures that are a requirement of your placement site. The following JCU policies apply to all students:

Blue Card

For some placements it is a legal requirement to have a Blue Card (or inter-state equivalent).

The Working with Children Check (known in Queensland as the Blue Card check) is a screening process that assesses your suitability to work with children based on known disciplinary and police information.

It can take eight weeks to receive your Blue Card, so please apply as soon as possible. There is no fee for students, and the Blue Card is valid for three years.

Visit: Big Interview - this resource combines training and practice to help improve your interview technique and build your confidence.

Find a discipline-specific resume example.

Also visit JCU Careers and Employability and JCU Job Ready to find out about networking and how to connect with professionals.

FORMS

LINKS

Capstone experiences are designed with final year curriculum principles in mind, and with work-ready skills as the primary consideration.

All students who are enrolled in JCU's Bachelor of Arts have the opportunity to take part in a capstone experience in the final semester of study. BA3000 is the code for our core capstone subject ‘Arts Edge’. Arts Edge offers you the chance to consolidate your skills and reflect on your knowledge in a career development or research capacity.

Business students start placement and project preparation in their first year, leading up to the capstone subject, which is offered in the final year of study. You need to have completed business subjects worth 36 credit points and be in your final year to enrol in the capstone subject.

JCU values the diversity of its students and its community. We are able to adapt placements and project work to enable all students to have equal opportunities to succeed. We offer wide ranging student support services with friendly staff to assist you, including:

InPlace is the online software application used by JCU that enables staff to coordinate and manage Work Integrated Learning (WIL)/placement activities efficiently.

InPlace also provides a portal for students to easily access details about their WIL placement activity using a computer or mobile device. Information regarding how to use InPlace is provided to students through their relative College/s.

The InPlace generic quick reference student guide gives you an idea of the information and forms you will need.

See Contacts