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A South African Perspective of Work-Integrated Learning and HIV / AIDS Workplace Orientation
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Naidoo, Paulene |
| Copyright Year | 2015 |
| Abstract | Work integrated learning (WIL) aims to enable students to shift easily into their chosen profession upon graduation. WIL lends value to the learning process and has resulted in it becoming far more strategic within Universities of Technology (UoT’s) in South Africa. However, students entering the workplace are only afforded access to particular kinds of workplace experiences and possibly not those that are sufficient for the development of comprehensive workplace knowledge. The notion of employee orientation is of utmost importance to any student entering the workplace, more particularly employee orientation that provides information on policies and procedures regarding HIV/AIDS in the workplace. The overall objective of this study was to examine the perceived appropriateness and effectiveness of WIL students’ experiences regarding workplace orientation on HIV/AIDS. A quantitative approach was employed for this study. The study was conducted among final year public relations students completing their work-integrated learning. Findings reflected that majority of the students did not go through a formal orientation process and they were inadequately equipped to deal with HIV and AIDS in the workplace. Research implications for improving formalized workplace orientation on HIV and AIDS are reflected upon. Address for correspondence: Dr. Veena P. Rawjee Department of Public Relations Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa Telephone: +27 (0) 31-373 5277/6826 E-mail: rawjeeve@dut.ac.za INTRODUCTION In today’s global society the HIV/AIDS pandemic is seen as one of the most significant challenges to health, development, and economic and social progress. South Africa in particular, has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world, with 5.6 million adults and children estimated to be living with HIV (Shisana et al. 2010). Statistics also indicate that the highest infections are occurring among young people between the ages of 15 to 49 (AVERT 2013). The high rate of infection in this age group indicates a significant reduction of the life expectancy of this group. This reduction exacerbates the situation further, as it results in a decrease in the productive workforce. The effects of HIV on the most prolific age groups inflicts huge expenses on organizations in the form of falling productivity, amplified labor costs and the loss of knowledgeable and experienced workers. The International Labor Organization (2010) reports that fundamental rights at work are often violated on the basis of a real or alleged HIV status, particularly through prejudice and stigmatization directed at workers living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. The development and implementation of workplace policies and programs on HIV and AIDS, facilitates the access to prevention, treatment, care and support services. Richard Holbrooke, President and CEO Global Business Council on HIV/AIDS, maintains that a business not only has a responsibility to act, but also an opportunity to play a crucial role in the global fight against the epidemic, particularly within their own workplace (Rau 2004). Many organizations have found that comprehensive policies and prevention and care programs are effective ways of helping curb the spread of the disease. In many countries, workplace awareness and prevention programs will be the only source of accurate information employees will have about HIV/AIDS (Rau 2004). According to the South Africa Department of Labor (2012), most workplace programs therefore ought to include the following activities relating to the creation of a company policy on HIV/AIDS, its dissemination to all employees, its implementation and its occasional updating: information on HIV/AIDS, ways of preventing transmission, places to seek further information and services, and ongoing company and union 272 VEENA P. RAWJEE AND PAULENE NAIDOO support for responsible sexual behavior; condom distribution at readily accessible points around the workplace; STI diagnosis and treatment, whether within the company, in community clinics or in other centers where employees receive healthcare; treatment for HIV and associated diseases, such as tuberculosis; counseling and testing for HIV on a voluntary and private basis, with means to provide support for employees and/or family members who test HIVpositive; mitigation services designed to provide such follow-up activities as counseling, community support and home-based care. The above literature clearly shows that the world of work plays a critical role in addressing HIV and AIDS as it offers a valuable entry point to reach the most significant age group affected by HIV/AIDS. Higher education institutions in particular represent a human resource pool for the workplace and are therefore in a prime position to meet this need due to their skills-based curriculum, which includes work integrated learning as a prime component. The purpose of this paper is to therefore examine the perceived appropriateness and effectiveness of WIL students’ experiences regarding workplace orientation and more specifically, HIV/AIDS workplace policy orientation. Work Integrated Learning and Workplace Learning Although work integrated learning takes different formats across higher education institutions, the South African Council on Higher Education (2011), identifies four main curricular modalities of WIL which are, work-directed theoretical learning, problem-based or oriented learning, project-based learning and workplace learning. Workplace learning in particular, relates to training and development of the student at their workplace. Workplace learning develops knowledge through experience in the workplace. Forbes (2007) maintains that because workbased learning is learning by experience in the workplace, it is a concept with many definitions and is considered to cover many different activities. Marsick (1987) maintains that workplace learning is the way in which individuals or groups acquire, interpret, reorganize, change or assimilate a related cluster of information, skills and feelings. Mathews (1999) argues that the way individuals learn, and how they respond to change are key issues within this definition. Brennan and Little (1996) purport that work-based learning has been defined as learning for, at, or through work. Learning is positioned very broadly by the above. Rylatt (1994) however, asserts that workplace learning is a sustained and high leverage development of employees in line with organizational business outcomes. The key idea in this definition is focused around an idea of sustained development. Mathews (1999) purports that that workplace learning involves the process of reasoned learning towards desirable outcomes for the individual and the organization. These outcomes should foster sustained development of both, the individual and the organization, within the present and future context of organizational goals and individual career development. Boud et al. (2000) explain that workplace learning involves the acquisition of work-related knowledge and skills, both in the university and in the workplace, with the formal or non-formal involvement of employers. This form of WIL involves what students do in the workplace and this forms the basis of the curriculum which is typically a mix of the kind of higher order cognitive skills, such as reflection and critical thinking, required in university courses and more content and context specific work outcomes (South African Council on Higher Education, 2011). Hamilton and Hamilton (1997) state that merely placing students in the workplace does not guarantee that learning will take place. Forbes (2007) therefore states that curriculum development should incorporate a work-based or work-integrated prescribed learning outcome and should be informed by and planned in partnership with commerce and industry. The decision to prescribe a block of experiential learning time in industry should be informed by the assessment criteria of the structured learning outcome components. It therefore follows that work integrated learning ought to be a learning and development experience that is underpinned by student needs. Most of the definitions cited above position development as a central factor in workplace learning, which could help students easily shift into their chosen profession upon graduation. Based on the above, it is evident that workplace learning lends value to the learning process and this has resulted in it becoming far more strategic and important. Therefore, in addition to a work-preparedness skills program conducted by A SOUTH AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE OF WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING 273 academics for WIL students at universities, there is a need for WIL students to undergo a formal workplace orientation process, conducted at the workplace, which covers important workplace policies and procedures. Affording students access to formal orientation processes will therefore add value to the kind of workplace knowledge being given to the WIL student and will possibly assist in the development of a more comprehensive workplace experience for the student. Orientation in the Workplace New employee orientation, often spearheaded by a meeting with the human resources department, generally contains information about safety, the work environment, the new job description, benefits and eligibility, company culture, company history, the organization chart and anything else relevant to working in the new company. It includes an introduction to each department in the company and training on-thejob. New employee orientation frequently includes spending time doing jobs in each department to understand the flow of the product or service through the organization (Heathfield 2013). Another definition offered by the Business Dictionary (2013) defines workplace orientation as an introductory stage in the process of new employee assimilation, and a part of his or her continuo |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://openscholar.dut.ac.za/bitstream/10321/1462/1/Rawjee_JBE_50_3_2015.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
