ABSTRACT
The alignment of higher education and employability has been strongly influenced by global neoliberal policies over a number of decades. Meaningful workplace experiences embedded within career oriented degree programmes offer students the opportunities to explore theory in real-world situations as well as develop valuable skills and competencies that will enable them to navigate the world of employment following graduation.
Introducing students to a number of theoretical models concerning work-based learning this chapter explores the role of the professional education placement in education studies degrees. Students are able to reflect on the growing career orientation of degree courses and consider how significant this is for their own career identity and development.
The chapter also considers the role of information technology and the potential for widening access to a range of professional workplaces in the education sector, hastened by, but by no means resulting from, the Covid-19 pandemic. The potential for future research and practice afforded by advancements in digital technologies is considered.
