How to Design Empowering Work-based Learning Settings to Foster Students’ Competence Development

Abstract

Equipping students with competences which enhance employability is a central aim of higher education that can be reached through work-based learning (WBL) settings. However, the research in higher education on individual and contextual enabling factors of WBL settings is still fragmented. In order to contribute to a systematic design approach, we widen the higher education perspective towards organisational studies, especially the construct of “empowerment”. This approach systematically captures the characteristics of enabling working environments, and also emphasises the individual’s perception of being empowered. In this paper, we deduce eight influencing factors for competence development, which are, concerning the student’s perspective, meaningfulness, self- determination, impact, and self-efficacy, and, regarding the university, respectively practical partner perspective, facilitative leadership, socio- political support, access to information and resources, and opportunities for mobility and growth. Based on these factors, we infer recommendations for designing WBL settings which enhance employability. 1.