Internships: A guide for Industry

Internship Program Overview

Whether you are looking to create a pipeline of future talent for your organisation or need assistance with specific projects or general workload, taking part in the Faculty of Engineering and IT Internship Program can be an invaluable opportunity.

We take the stress out of sourcing candidates by advertising to eligible and the high-achieving masters students on our dedicated internship portal and shortlisting the best candidates for your review. We’ll work with you to ensure your intern aligns with your specific business requirements and is a good fit for your team. We welcome a diverse range of organisations to host interns in our program, from large multinationals through to start ups and research institutes.

The program has three intakes per year (see Key Dates). Internships should be offered for a period of 10-16 weeks (totaling 320-350 hours) and can be offered onsite, remotely or a combination of both, depending on your needs. Students can undertake the internship on a part-time (3-4 days per week) or full-time (5 days per week) basis. Students enrol into an internship subject and receive academic credit.

Students are encouraged to prepare a semester in advance and are supported with resources to ensure their outreach is professional and targeted. They are also aware that they may need to participate in a selection process to secure the internship role.

Whilst internships are conducted individually under the supervision of an industry supervisor, students are also mentored by a dedicated academic staff here in the faculty. The academic acts as a first point-of-contact, who they can approach to discuss any issues they might be facing. Should students not wish to undertake a university sourced internship, they can also source one themselves with an external company.

View information for students

How our program works

Key Dates

Internships involve approximately a minimum of 320 to a maximum of 350 hours undertaken over a 10-16 week period during University Semesters, noting that unpaid internships cannot exceed 350 hours.

Placements usually occur between the following months:

• Summer: Early December - Late February
• Semester 1: Early March - Late June
• Semester 2: Mid-July - Late October

Please familiarise yourself with the dates below which outline due dates involved with advertising with the Faculty of Engineering and IT.

View 2026 Event Calendar

Industry Event Calendar 2026

What can you expect from an intern?

Students engaged in the Internship subject will typically be in the later stages of their Masters degree, actively seeking additional professional development in their chosen field prior to graduating.

Students from the following degrees are eligible to take part in this internship program. When applying, you can indicate which degrees you believe are most suitable for your position.

• Master of Biomedical Engineering
• Master of Chemical Engineering
• Master of Civil Engineering
• Master of Electrical Engineering
• Master of Engineering
• Master of Environmental Engineering
• Master of Information Systems
• Master of Information Technology
• Master of Mechanical Engineering
• Master of Mechatronics Engineering
• Master of Software Engineering

Early in the semester, students undertake intensive sessions covering a range of professional skills including teamwork, communication, personal assessments, ethics, OHS, business acumen and an in-depth understand of what employers want.

As part of the academic component of the Internship subject, students will be regularly reflecting on their own personal professional growth and adaption to a workplace environment.

What is expected of an internship host?

Before hosting an Engineering or IT student, it’s important to understand the responsibilities that come with hosting a student. As a host, you’re not only offering a student a placement, but you’re also providing a structured learning experience that contributes to their professional development.

This includes assigning meaningful tasks, offering guidance and support through a qualified supervisor, and ensuring a safe, inclusive workplace. Being clear about these expectations from the outset helps ensure a positive and productive experience for both your organisation and the student.

SELECTING STUDENTS FOR THE INTERNSHIP

Selecting students for an internship should be approached with respect, fairness, and careful consideration to ensure equal opportunity for all candidates - regardless of gender, culture, disability or background.

The University of Melbourne is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a workplace that is inclusive, respectful, and free from discrimination, harassment, or bias. We encourage all host organisations to reflect these values when assessing and selecting interns. This includes:

• Making decisions based on merit, and avoiding any form of unlawful discrimination or unconscious bias
• Supporting a recruitment process that is inclusive of students from diverse backgrounds, including international students, students with a disability, LGBTQIA+ students, and those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• Ensuring your workplace culture allows all interns to feel safe, respected, and able to thrive

We strongly encourage you to familiarise yourself with the following resources:

The University of Melbourne's Diversity Resources and Employing International Students & Graduates.

SUPERVISION

Supervision is a critical component of a successful internship. It ensures that students are supported in their learning, contribute meaningfully to the organisation, and develop the professional skills they need for their future careers.

Each intern must be supervised by a staff member within your organisation who:

• Is a technical expert in the student’s field of work (e.g., Engineering or IT), or
• Holds relevant professional experience in Engineering or Information Technology, depending on the internship role.

The supervisor must provide:

• A well-planned onboarding and training plan: A highly organised and comprehensive onboarding process can lay the foundation for a successful internship, whether it is virtual, in person or hybrid.
• Professional Development and Mentorship: Consider assigning a mentor or “buddy” within your organisation who can answer questions, provide support and meet the intern with some frequency.
• Clear Objectives: Whether your intern is completing their internship on-site, fully remote or hybrid, it is important to clearly define the primary objectives of the internship for yourself, your team and your intern.  Monitor workload and pace of work.
• Clear Communication: Ensure there is a daily touchpoint each time your intern is working, along with at least one dedicated meeting each week to check-in, review tasks and expectations, and provide constructive feedback.
• Technical guidance and day-to-day support: Make sure your intern has access to timely and ongoing guidance related to their assigned tasks. This includes ensuring someone is available to answer questions and provide direction when needed.

WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS

As a host, you are responsible for creating a respectful learning environment in the workplace, ensuring:

• A safe, inclusive, and professional work environment, where all interns, regardless of gender, culture or language background, have equal opportunities to:
  • Visit work sites
  • Ask for opportunities of particular procedures
  • Interact with trades people, customers, and project members
  • Use tools and equipment required for the job
  • Take a leadership role in a task
  • Demonstrate their skills and experience
• A workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment.
• Students are treated with respect and professionalism, as emerging members of the engineering and IT communities.

You are also responsible for clarifying the following:

• Agreed work hours and workdays, including:
  • start time, break times, and finish time
• Agreed absence times (e.g., for volunteering or personal commitments)
• Please note students will need up to the equivalent of two days for subject activities (assessments, meetings, workshops), depending on their work hours.
• Dress Code, including:
  • Appropriate work clothing
  • Required safety clothing and/or equipment
• Emergency procedures and relevant staff contact details
• E-mail etiquette, including:
  • Appropriate salutations
  • Message format
• Workplace communication expectations, such as:
  • How to address employees and customers
  • Appropriate language for in-person and phone interactions
• Shared space etiquette, covering:
  • Tidiness
  • Cleanliness
  • Noise level
  • Placement of personal items
• Mobile phone usage expectations during work hours

NEW NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Introduces new information sharing obligations between the Host Organisation and the University.
• May occur verbally but requires written confirmation within 48 hours of the incident.
• Host Organisation agrees to notify the University of:
  • OHS, equal opportunity or discrimination issues or incidents;
  • inappropriate conduct or behaviour;
  • complaint, allegation or investigation into a Student's conduct or in respect of a third party whilst on Placement;
  • incident or event occurring on Placement which results in, or is likely to cause, harm to the Student to staff, clients or visitors of the Host Organisation as a result of any act or omission of the Student.
• Updated templates - on the KBA and via Neota.

How many interns can I engage?

To help you get the most out of your experience as a host, and to ensure the quality of the student internship experience, we place limits on the number of interns your organisation can take on, particularly if you are new to our program.

These guidelines help us maintain a high-quality experience for everyone involved, and ensure you're set up for long-term success as a host.

What is a stipend?

A stipend is a discretionary amount awarded to the student for the duration of their internship. The University of Melbourne will invoice you, the host organisation, for the total amount, and the funds will be distributed from the University of Melbourne's accounts on a fortnightly basis to the student until the total is reach. Please discuss with the Internships and Projects Team the stipend amount you wish to award the student.

What is a paid internship role?

A paid internship requires that the student be compensated at least the minimum award rate, as outlined by Fair Work Australia. In this arrangement, the student is considered an employee of your organisation and must be covered under your company’s insurance policy.

Due to the nature of paid internships, you may host multiple students, as long as each one receives appropriate support and supervision from qualified technical and/or professional staff.

This applies to both new and repeat hosts

NEW HOSTS

If this is your first or second semester hosting a Faculty of Engineering and IT student, you may host up to two unpaid or stipend-supported interns.

These limits are in place to ensure that every student receives the guidance and supervision necessary to thrive, and that your organisation gains value from their contributions.

REPEAT HOSTS

After successfully hosting students for at least two semesters and receiving positive feedback from both students and academic mentors, you'll be considered a Repeat Host.

As a Repeat Host, you'll be eligible to host up to five unpaid or stipend-supported interns. The limit for paid roles remains unchanged, there is no cap on paid internships, as long as proper supervision and support are provided.

Commercial Considerations

Financial Matters

Internships can be either paid or unpaid at the discretion of the host organsiation.

Where the student is paid, companies enter into a contract of employment with the student(s). As a result, students come under the company's insurance and their employment arrangements must comply with the Fair Work Act 2009. The host is additionally required to sign a Professional Placement Letter Agreement (PPLA).

When internships are unpaid, they are covered by the University's insurance via a Vocational Placement Letter Agreement (VPLA) which requires signing.

Organisations may alternatively offer a student a stipend payment whereby the organisation offers a nominal amount invoiced by the University, which is then transferred to the student as a studentship payment. The University covers insurance under a VPLA. The host organisation is expected to also maintain appropriate Public Liability insurance.

Tips to securing the right candidate

Advertising and Position Description Tips

• We recommend including the following in your position description:
  • What specific duties and tasks will the intern perform? If you can, quantify each duty and responsibility
  • What key objectives must be achieved?
  • The position benefits (especially if the role is unpaid) - outline these in an honest and attractive way. Most people want to know that their internship will be challenging and rewarding. .
  • A description of the team - you may also want to include who the supervisor will be
  • Skills required for the role
  • Consider giving an example of a usual week or typical day for the intern
• Ensure the name of the role is relevant - it should be clear and attractive to students

• Share details about your organisation. Consider items including the company’s history, what awards you have won, what makes you an employer of choice, whether you’re long-established or a start-up etc.

• Direct the student to your website for any other important information, including videos that provide students and insight into your company, and the projects they might be involved with through their time interning. These can also be a great way to focus on the benefits or perks you offer, and what skills individuals will acquire interning with you.

Interviews , making offers and onboarding

• Get in early - we recommend interviewing and making offers to candidates within 2 weeks of receiving collated applications from our team. Most students are receiving multiple offers and you don't want to miss out on offering a role to your preferred candidate.

• Ask well thought-out questions that ask for examples during the interview. You’ll be able to confirm the candidate has the skills they say they have, and better understand their strengths and weaknesses too.

• Set clear expectations by discussing start/end dates and the number of hours per week requirement over the course of the internship.

• Keep in touch with your intern after making an offer and ensure there is a plan for their first day and weeks to make them feel welcome.

• Cover the statutory induction items and have the relevant person run through a training plan for the coming days and weeks. Try to avoid the too common “chuck them in the deep end and see if they swim” approach.

Onboarding your new intern

Once you have appointed the successful candidate, stay connected with them before they start, have an organised plan for their first day and make them feel welcome. This will confirm they have made the right decision to join you.

FAQs