Frequently asked questions

Federation Co-op fosters deep, authentic engagement between our students, educators and researchers, and industry, community, and government to:

  • help students become work and world ready through direct connection to employers, paid placements, career preparation and workplace skills development
  • address skills shortages and training needs - 70% of students that study in regions, go on to live and work where they studied
  • support regional economic growth by developing talented local graduates who understand regional businesses
  • offer opportunities for industry and community partners to engage with world class researchers to solve real world problems.

Federation University works with industry to support economic growth in our regions via our teaching and research programs. This involves:

  • co-op placements
  • co-design, co-development, and co-delivery of our courses and;
  • co-designed, co-funded, and co-supervised research projects involving Masters and PhD level students

Our undergraduate students undertake placements with our industry partners as part of their studies, and our higher degree by research students (PhD and Masters by research) offer solutions via short term internships or longer term research projects co-designed with industry partners to address real world problems.

Our co-op approach ensures that:

  • what students learn in the classroom is needed in the workplace
  • our research is relevant and transformational for our communities

Federation Co-op’s main components include:

  • Industry Advisory Groups
  • Co-op placements and research internships
  • strategic partnerships and projects
  • Industry participation in course delivery

Co designed, co-funded and/or co-supervised research projects

Federation Co-op placements have a step-by-step process:

  • Your organisation agrees to participate in Federation Co-op and signs a simple agreement between your organisation and Federation University
  • You will be provided with access to resources to assist you in supporting a student whilst on placement
  • Our Co-op placement team will assist you in creating and advertising your jobs.
  • You will then receive applications, and interview and recruit student/s following your own employment procedures
  • You will work with the placement student and an Academic Advisor to set learning objectives at the commencement of the placement
  • Co-op Coordinators will arrange check-ins during the placement and provide ongoing support
  • At the end of the placement, you’ll participate in a simple student assessment
  • We will also ask you to provide feedback on the Co-op placement process so we can make any necessary changes or improvements to the program

Placements will be advertised directly to students through an online portal. Once your job has been approved by the University, students will be able to browse opportunities and apply.

A Co-op Coordinator will assist you during this process and answer any questions you may have.

2024 will be the soft launch of Co-op placements for 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students studying in the following degrees:

  • Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
  • Bachelor of Business
  • Bachelor of Information Technology
  • Bachelor of Information Technology (Professional Practice)
  • Bachelor of Science
  • Batchelor of Veterinary and Wildlife Science
  • Bachelor of Environmental and Conservation Science
  • Bachelor of Biomedical Science
  • Bachelor of Geoscience

These placements are optional for students during this year. Students beginning the above degrees in 2024 with have their Co-op placement as an compulsory part of their degree.

Yes you will. International students are resilient, flexible, multilingual and bring diverse cross-cultural skills and perspectives to the workplace.

International students have work rights in Australia included in their student visas. During our soft launch in 2024, Co-op Placements are not considered compulsory and therefore international students are limited to 48 hours of work per fortnight.

Student’s studying an engineering degree have an exemption to this rule as the placement is a mandatory requirement within their degree and so are able to undertake a full time placement over the summer break.

From 2025, Co-op placements will not impact their 48 hours work per fortnight and they will be free to work in both full-time and part-time placements, both during teaching periods and in the teaching breaks.

Many of our international students intend to stay after they have finish their degree and are already working towards pos-study work visa. This is great news for employers as international students provide diverse cross-cultural skills and perspectives to workplaces and regions.

Your position description and interview process will help you gauge a student’s capability and understanding. Students are also required to work with their Academic Advisor and their workplace manager to develop objectives for the placement.

Students should be supervised by a manager/staff member who understands the job’s requirements and can encourage a successful placement. Roles advertised will need to have a position description which outlines key requirements and who the student will report to during their placement. The Co-op Coordinator can assist with this.

Each student must complete a placement of 60 days to meet their Co-op requirements. Arrangements for work hours and frequency can be customised to suit you if they are consistent with the Award and enable the student to complete any study commitments required for their course. The number of placements you offer will be determined by the work you have available.

At the start of the placement process Federation University’s Co-op Coordinators will work with you to establish an agreement between you and the University. This agreement outlines our mutual expectations and enables the student and your organisation, to have the best possible placement experience.

A student can approach you about a placement, but for it to be recognised as a Federation Co-op placement on the student’s record, an agreement between your organisation and Federation University must be in place prior to the start of the placement.

Paid, meaningful work that relates to a student’s field of study is the definition of a Co-op placement, so all Co-op placements must be paid.

Following the recruitment process students are paid directly by you. This gives them the opportunity to experience the real workforce, and for you to consider their suitability for the work required. At a minimum, students are paid the minimum wage for your industry/sector. The salary offered must be clearly stated when lodging the position’s advertisement on the job portal.

All wages and conditions must be consistent with requirements under the Fair Work Act 2009.

If any issue arises that can’t be resolved through your organisation’s policies and procedures, a Federation University Co-op Coordinator can help you to achieve a resolution.

A Higher Degree by Research student is enrolled in either a Masters by Research or a PhD degree.  Such students have achieved excellence in their undergraduate (Bachelor) degree and are embarking on a research career. By undertaking a Higher Degree by Research, they will develop their research skills by designing and delivering a research project which creates new knowledge or applies existing knowledge to new problems.  Our HDR students work under the supervision of at least two leading academics at our University and are well supported by university resources including laboratories, the Library etc.

Rather than participate in Co-op placements, HDR students can undertake a minimum 60 day (full-time equivalent) research internship.  HDR students work with you on the output, outcome or result you need for your organisation.  HDR research internships are different from undergraduate student placements in that the student is funded by an internship stipend paid via the University, rather than directly employed by you/the industry partner. This can have tax advantages for both the student and the industry partner (via R&D tax incentives from the government).

Our HDR students are emerging thought leaders in our community.  They have new ideas, exposure to the latest information and technologies and enormous drive and enthusiasm. They can make a real difference in your organisation and can be tasked to solve large or small problems.

During a research internship, a HDR student spends a minimum of 60 days on a well-defined project, usually aligned to an area of their research expertise. By contrast a research project is much longer-term (18 months – 2 years for Masters and 3-3.5 years for a PhD) and is suited to the solution of more complex problems and/or the creation of new knowledge. For both the research internship and the research project, a research agreement between the industry partner and the university is negotiated to ensure clarity around financial contributions and expected outcomes.

Your organisation has the opportunity to co-design and co-deliver a research project, in partnership with the University. This would require a time commitment from your organisation for the release of an appropriately qualified and experienced staff member to participate in development and ongoing delivery of the research project as a member of the student’s supervisory team.

Co-funding involves your organisation providing cash or in-kind contributions towards the support of a HDR research project which is focussed on a research question is co-designed by your organisation and leading academics from the university. Cash contributions are generally via stipend (living allowance) scholarships but can also include internship stipends, project consumables, research equipment, and operating costs such as travel and accommodation. A research agreement between the industry partner and the university is negotiated to ensure clarity around financial contributions.