Marketing IBL to marketing students

The objective of the research that was undertaken was to determine the most effective ways to encourage Bachelor of Business students to undertake an Industry Based Learning (IBL) marketing placement given recent changes to government policy relating to IBL. The paper begins by considering the current context in which (IBL) programs are being offered. It briefly examines the political, economy, and social factors that impact on IBL as well as looking at what some of the universities in Melbourne are offering their business students in the form of IBL, or coop learning opportunities. A small number of past Marketing IBL students have responded to a survey about their IBL experiences and how it assisted them personally and career wise. Dresser and Keeling’s (2004) categorisations for the benefits of IBL have been used to assist in organising and classifying the graduates’ responses. In addition the academic achievements and graduate outcomes for Marketing students who have completed IBL have been compared with the outcomes for students who have not done an IBL placement. The results from the external analysis have been combined with the results of the survey to develop a promotional campaign aimed at selling the advantages of undertaking an IBL placement, despite the user pay system that is being enforced upon universities by the changes in the government regulations.