Abstract
The extensive development of co-operative (sandwich) education overseas is compared to the slight Australian experience. The claim, that the integration of academic and work experience required in such courses, materially assists students in achieving greater development is investigated by surveying students and ex-students, employers and academic staff and by analysis of academic performance.
By comparison with the full-time student, the co-operative student is seen to gain in social and academic maturity and in technical preparedness for his role as a graduate. Analyses of examination results over a nine year period show a significant improvement, after exposure to industrial experience, both by comparison with the previous performance and by comparison with equivalent full-time student performance. It is concluded that the wide-scale adoption of co-operative programes in Australia is highly desirable and that government support for their introduction should be made available.