Initiative Lead
Athlone Institute of Technology

Primary Contact
Dr Sean Lyons
slyons@ait.ie

€20000

Enhancement in Collaboration with Professional Bodies and/or Industry Partners, Teaching and Learning within and across Disciplines

The inclusion of placement and work-based learning as key opportunities for enhancing student learning experiences has become a key area of focus informed by HEA targets. The aim of this T&L initiative is to develop framework for enhancing the AIT student placement experience in Civil Engineering based on the application of the successful apprenticeship model utilised in the faculty. The initiative will involve engagement with key stakeholders including staff, students, alumni, mentors and industry partners.

A framework for the implementation of placement will be devised for sharing across the institute and more widely across the sector. In addition, the initiative will involve the development of resources for pre-placement, placement and post placement activities. This will include the development of asynchronous and synchronous training opportunities. Developing targeted supports for students will allow them to remain connected with the institute while on placement. In addition, it will allow them to further develop relevant knowledge and skills as autonomous learners.

Although this initiative will be based in the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, the Faculty of Science and Health will be represented on the team. This will facilitate collaborative engagement across both areas particularly in relation to engagement with industry partners and professional bodies. There are synergies between this initiative and others taking place across the institute, specifically digital badging including micro-credentialing and online learning. Therefore, the Placement team will keep itself informed of the work of other initiatives which are happening simultaneously within the institute.