Implementing Post-practicum Strategies to Enhance the Professional Identity and Employability of Final Year Physiotherapy Students

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that structured post-practicum activities focussing on career development learning can enhance employability. Undergraduate physiotherapy curriculum does not include a formal link between practicum experiences and learning about career development. Physiotherapy students do, however, undertake limited post-practicum activities to review their employability skills and needs. The chapter aims to explore the value of linking post practicum experiences of final year physiotherapy students with the development of employability skills. A study was undertaken that included a number of activities including a trial of a half-day workshop that enabled students to engage in peer discussions and explore professional attributes, exploring their progression from novice practitioner to professional. The workshop included presentations from industry professionals and provided an opportunity to network with peers regarding employability needs. Following the workshop, students were invited to undertake a task answering selection criteria as per a genuine job application. Their de-identified submission was reviewed by an industry professional. Of the 73 physiotherapy students enrolled in their final year in a Western Australian physiotherapy program, 61 (83.6%) attended the Employability Workshop in 2017, with 56 students completing pre and post surveys. Results demonstrated that students’ confidence in their readiness to both commence and obtain work increased after attending the workshop. There was a general shift to more positive ratings on components of the Employability Impact Survey (Smith, Ferns, Russell, Cretchley, The impact of work integrated learning on student work-readiness. Office for Learning and Teaching, Sydney. Viewed 23 April 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/55398, 2014) post-workshop. The opt-in task of addressing selection criteria was taken up by 20 (35.7%) of the students who attended the workshop. Improvement in their ability to apply for graduate roles, as determined by questions from the Employability Impact Survey (Smith, Ferns, Russell, Cretchley, The impact of work integrated learning on student work-readiness. Office for Learning and Teaching, Sydney. Viewed 23 April 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/55398, 2014), was less apparent following the selection criteria task. Industry professionals highlighted the student’s lack of practicum examples in completing the selection criteria task, emphasising the need for increased value to be placed on post-practicum review of experiences to enhance employability. Careful consideration of how and when this is embedded in curriculum is required as students appear less likely to engage in tasks that are opt-in. Aligning the timing of these experiences with employability needs is essential to ensure engagement. Keywords: practicum; Work Integrated Learning (WIL); Career Development Learning (CDL); work readiness; employability; professional identity; learning circles; physiotherapy; graduate; outcomes