Embracing work-integrated learning in political studies

Given the challenge of graduate unemployment in South Africa, this article considers whether Work-integrated Learning (WIL) can be successfully implemented in a discipline such as Political Studies. To do this, it outlines the experiences of former Political Studies students who were placed into internship positions. The article also reflects on how this internship programme served as a catalyst for embracing a broader WIL approach. We find that students that interned experienced personal growth and were successful in developing a career path having been exposed to 'some form of WIL'. While not providing a panacea for unemployment and other socio-economic challenges, the journey leads us to believe that strengthening of knowledge through WIL can occur in disciplines such as Political Studies and can assist in equipping graduates with a real-world work experience and opportunities. Additionally, we argue that alongside such WIL programmes, a WIL teaching orientation should be considered to empower and equip a broader spectrum of graduates. Indeed, the internship programme paved the way for the development of an entirely new Masters programme with significant potential benefits for students in terms of their academic growth, personal, career, skills and development.