Alternatives to industrial work placement in Dublin Institute of Technology

In the current economic crisis, higher education graduates need transferable professional skills more than ever. They need resourcefulness, an ability to work reflectively, a sense of civic awareness and an impressive curriculum vitae. This case study analyses how Dublin Institute of Technology’s Programme for Students Learning With Communities provides cost-effective, sustainable solutions to these needs, offering an alternative to industrial work placement. Community-based learning and research involve collaboration between staff and/or students and community partners to design real-life, course-based projects which meet the learning needs of the students and those of the community. The programme not only enriches the curriculum; it also builds links with communities and brings additional resources to the educational institution, while allowing the institution to fulfil its three main roles of teaching, research and outreach, simultaneously.