Background
Student Placements and Internships are integral to the educational experience at UCD, allowing over 5,000 students per year to engage in practical work in nearly 3,000 sites across various industries. This enriches the learning experience and bridges the gap between academia and the professional world. However, the process of managing these placements and internships is complex.
With 23 areas involved from across schools, colleges and operational units, and 11 different systems being used, inconsistency has become a major issue when managing student placements and internships. The feedback from those involved in supporting students throughout this process has revealed a strong need for streamlined solutions.
Project Objective
The objective of this project is to conduct an enterprise-wide review of the approach to and support of placements and internships currently in place in UCD.
Project Benefits
Gathering the user experience to inform the pursuit of an enterprise-wide solution.
Identifying opportunities for aligning processes.
Improved functionality and better student experience.
Who will benefit?
Students
Faculty
Staff
Employee/ Partner Sites
Project Team
Project Owner
Oonagh Sweeney
Project Manager
University Internship Manager
UCD Careers Network
Timeline
The timeline of the project as of October 2023.
-
May 2022
Approved by UMT Service Group to proceed to next stage.
-
June 2022
Stakeholder meetings held to develop proposal.
-
July 2022
Engage with inputs from business users to gain full understanding of requirements/ processes.
-
August 2022
Groundwork for survey to capture the voice of students, employers & faculty.
-
November 2022
Working Group and Plan agreed.
-
April 2023
User Experience review complete and final report and recommendations compiled.
-
May 2023
Report and recommendations approved by UMT Service Group.
-
August 2023
Project Proposal for next phase of project seeking to address recommendations from Phase 1 report underway.
Project Conclusion
Last updated 31st October 2023
This review has concluded, with six key recommendations arising. These recommendations identify the need to take an enterprise approach to creating a more efficient, coherent approach for all involved in internships and placements. Steps are currently being taken to identify the most appropriate routes to address these recommendations with a proposal currently being drafted for a Phase 2 for this project.