WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING: ANALYZING PARTICIPANT INTERACTION AND DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL SKILLS OF STUDENTS

Work-integrated learning is considered to be an effective tool to help student develop the necessary skills to function in a work environment. Work-integrated learning combines university training and on-the-job training in industry organizations. Work-integrated learningallows students to have real working methods and professional qualities in the context of the work environment even before completing academic studies. This enables students to build confidence in their abilities, improve understanding of the work process, the nature of the skills required in the profession being mastered, as well as the development of employability skills. This is recognized as an important factor in the effective professional activity of university graduates in the workplace. The growinginterest in work-integrated learning requires research and clarification of the processes of joint interaction of participants. The article examines the process of joint interaction of the participants of work-integrated learning. For this purpose, a survey was carried out of direct participants in the process of work-integrated learning at the university -stakeholders (students, academic and industry representatives). The survey allowed to collect primary data on the experience of work-integrated learning and improved the understanding of the process of integration of academic and industry cooperation. The survey of students was aimed at revealing their experience of on-the-job training. They were also presented with a list of skills that they were ableto learn or improve as part of on-the-job training.Questions for academic and industry representatives covered the following topics: the role of the preparatory phase in the transition from academic learning to on-the-job learning; teaching methods and ways to get feedback; integration of on-the-job learning experience into further university education; Improvement of the work-integrated learning system.