Placement essentials for students

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

• Business students: Access your resources at our Learn JCU business site, and start preparing in your first year of study
• Clinical Practice Building Townsville:  Pre-placement requirements
• Creative Arts and Media
• Education students: Visit our professional experience,  service learning resources
• IT students:  WIL/placements for IT students
• Law students:  WIL for law students
• Social Work students: Visit fieldwork for Social Work students

Medicine, health, dentistry and veterinary students

Preparation checklists and forms by profession:

• Biomedical, Medical Laboratory and Clinical Sciences
• Dentistry
• Exercise Physiology
• Medicine
• Nursing and Midwifery (including Graduate Certificate of Diabetes Education)
• Occupational Therapy
• Pharmacy
• Physician Assistant
• Physiotherapy
• Psychology (Postgraduate)
• Public Health
• Speech Pathology
• Sport and Exercise Science
• Veterinary Science

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:

• Code of Conduct
• Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy
• Indemnity, Insurance and Legal Claims Policy
• Health, Safety and Environment Policy

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

Blue Card

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. Most JCU departments have pre-filled Blue Card application forms, so please check with your college/discipline student placement unit. There is no fee for students, and the Blue Card is valid for three years. It should be renewed one month before its expiry date.

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 our networking resources and find out how to connect with professionals.

• AccessAbility services - contact us for practical advice about the support available for your placement
• Approval form to undertake a placement (which is not a course requirement)
• Careers and Employability
• Code of Conduct
• Confidentiality Acknowledgement
• DTHM Conduct and Expectations
• DTHM Workplace incident form
• DTHM Procedures for Infectious Disease for Students 
• DTHM Professional Experience Placement Student Procedures
• DTHM Professional Experience Placement Student Declaration
• DTHM Student Placement Accident, Incident and Injury Report
• JCU Health Manual
• Insurance (general)
• Insurance for volunteers
• Personal Accident Insurance
• Policies
• Student Overseas Travel Request
• Travel Insurance – general information
• Volunteering opportunities

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. You should contact business.wil@jcu.edu.au for further information, and log into LearnJCU, click on the 'Organisations' tab and go to 'WIL in BBus'.

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:

• An AccessAbility service which provides information and practical advice about the support available at JCU to ensure access to appropriate adjustments and services.
• Dedicated Equity and Inclusion services and initiatives.
• JCU also has wellbeing services including a free, confidential counselling service for all enrolled students, provided in a safe and supportive environment.