Fostering professional development through integrating work and formal learning

The undergraduate site learning program (USLP) is an innovative work-based learning program that addresses the call to develop a broader set of attributes in engineering graduates. Unlike cooperative education programs, site learning can give students full academic credit for their placement without extending the duration of the degree through the use of an innovative learning alignment model. A central part of this program is a unique course entitled professional development in which students articulate and reflect upon the lessons they learn while on placement in industry. Students spend the bulk of a semester on-site often in remote locations, which requires a flexible approach to course operation and fosters independent learning. Thus the USLP challenges both staff and students and produces outcomes that both the alumni and industry value.