Work-integrated learning: the poor relation in student learning choices

What is it about the Australian society's view of tertiary education that sees the imperative for integration of work and learning, but when it comes to choices the students and teachers pragmatically focus on content and assessment outcomes? Here I suggest that 'work ready' learning, focusing on vocational competencies, is not the equivalent to 'work-based' learning i.e. work and learning integration, even though elements of the former are encapsulated in the latter. In this paper I suggest that few students will choose work-based learning (work and learning integration) because of pragmatic tensions and enculturation within the tertiary education environment that sees the imperative of vocational competencies and passing as greater than any desire to integrate work and learning as a 'Real Life' (abstract and ill-defined) learning space. The tension extends to both students and teachers where teachers may well be seeking to engage students in 'real life', work-based learning but students simplistically demand, ''what do I have to do to pass' and where teachers choose or are forced to be pragmatic and instructive in approach..