How can professional internships be structured to deliver meaningful learning outcomes for students, employers, and universities?
In this session, Assoc. Professor Laurie Murphy from James Cook University shares how PebblePad supports professional internships and work‑integrated learning across large, multi‑campus business programs.
Laurie outlines how PebblePad is embedded from first year through to final‑year capstone experiences, supporting student agency, career development, and articulation of graduate capabilities. The session focuses on the design of a professional internship subject, where students prepare for placement, agree clear learning outcomes with industry supervisors, reflect on capability development, and evidence their skills through structured workbooks and ePortfolios.
Key themes include:
- Preparing students for internships through early career development and reflection
- Using PebblePad to structure placement planning, learning outcomes, and expectations
- Supporting reflective practice and professional identity development during internships
- Monitoring student engagement and progress across distributed placements
- Aligning student development with industry‑informed graduate capabilities
- Helping students articulate and evidence skills in job applications and portfolios
This session provides practical insight into managing internships at scale while ensuring consistent quality, meaningful reflection, and strong alignment between academic learning and industry practice.
This was filmed at Brisbane 2022 MiniBash.