Placement

What is student placement?

Student placement is unpaid ‘work experience’. This is your opportunity to put the theory you are learning in class to practice within a supervised workplace. All placements have strict requirements which must be met to successfully complete the placement. Your Industry Placement Consultant will be able to provide you with these requirements.

Which ACAP courses have a student placement as part of the curriculum?

Courses which have a compulsory student placement component are:

• Bachelor of Counselling
• Bachelor of Psychological Science and Counselling
• Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy
• Master of Psychology (Clinical)
• Master of Psychology Practice (Clinical)
• Bachelor of Social Work
• Master of Social Work (Qualifying)
• Bachelor of Criminology and Justice

No other ACAP courses currently have student placements as part of the curriculum. We recommend students enrolled in other courses and wanting a career in human services or a related area consider volunteering whilst studying. Choose an organisation that you would ideally like to work in and begin volunteering there. This puts you in the best possible position when jobs become available in that agency as they already know you.

Note: Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Counselling, Bachelor of Counselling (Minor in Coaching), and Bachelor of Psychological Science and Counselling from Trimester 1 2020, carry out a mandatory period of volunteering during their course. The mandatory volunteering must be completed prior to commencing placement in the final year. Further details are provided in the volunteering web page.

Why do students do placements?

ACAP has an excellent reputation in the industry for our students being ‘work ready’ when they graduate. Placement gives you the opportunity to put theory into practice in a supervised workplace and develop your skills.

Many ACAP Courses are accredited by the Professional Associations for each discipline. The accreditation requirements for the above courses include completing unpaid student placements. Each course has specific requirements and details are provided when it’s time to prepare for placement. Please ensure that you prepare and plan for the time needed to complete placements. It may be possible to use your workplace for your placement if it meets the requirements and you can undertake suitable placement activities at work.

Where can students undertake placement?

This depends on your course and your discipline:

Counselling students may be interested in working in the area of domestic violence, substance abuse, family therapy, correctional work such as re-offending prevention programs, body image and self esteem, poverty and homelessness, relationships, working with women, working with men, LGBTIQ issues or many other areas where counsellors can make a significant difference.

Minor in Coaching  students complete one counselling placement, and are encouraged to volunteer in a coaching organisation from year one to gain skills and develop a network in the industry.

Students in the discipline of Criminology and Justice may complete a placement in organisations such as Victoria Police, Department of Justice, as well as various courts, law firms, prisons and many more organisations.

Master of Psychology (Clinical)  undertake 3 external placements in a variety of organisations and/or health facilities.

Social Work students undertake 2 placements and these can be in a wide variety of organisations from human services through to corporate.

Undertaking your placement in an agency that offers services in an area of interest to you is the best possible way to get started on your career path. You will build a professional network of contacts in that area. Many ACAP students are successful at gaining employment through their placement.

When and how will I get more information about student placement?

Each discipline will email* students at the most appropriate time to provide all of the information you need to get ready for placement.

*Students will be emailed via their ACAP email account. The Webmail Guide includes instructions on how to access your ACAP email, and how to redirect the emails to your private email account.

Should you require further information before that time, or if you have any questions about placement, please contact your Industry Placement Consultant.