RealWorld Lab
RealWorld Lab is a career‑ready placement experience coordinated by The Careers Service.
For eligible students, RealWorld Lab can be used to meet your placement requirements and is designed to fit alongside your study. You’ll work in a multidisciplinary student team on a real project provided by an industry partner, with structured support throughout the experience.
Across the placement, you’ll apply what you’ve learned in your degree to real‑world challenges, build confidence, develop employability skills, and gain experience you can use on your resume, LinkedIn profile and in interviews.
What you'll do
During RealWorld Lab, you will
- Work in a student consulting team on a real industry project brief
- Apply design thinking, problem solving, and communication skills to practical challenges
- Collaborate with students from different degrees and perspectives
- Develop and present clear, practical recommendations or solutions
- Present your work at the RealWorld Lab Reveal event
Who can participate
RealWorld Lab is available to students enrolled in any of the following undergraduate (Bachelor) degrees:
- Arts
- Biomedical Science
- Business
- Business Analytics
- Coastal and Marine Science
- Climate Science and Adaptation
- Commerce
- Criminology
- Design (Architecture)
- Development Studies
- Environmental Science and Management
- Mathematics
- Media and Communication
- Science
- Social Science
- Visual Communication Design
- Related combined degrees
You must also be enrolled in a 2026 course that requires completion of a placement, including:
- A Semester 1 placement course where placement requirements have not yet been met
- A Midyear Session placement course
- A Semester 2 course that requires you to undertake a placement eperience
If you are unsure about your eligibility, confirm your suitability with your Course Coordinator.
Structure and timing
Duration: 9 weeks (across the Midyear Session)
Dates: Monday 25 May to Friday 24 July 2026
Hours: Approximately 140 hours total
Location: Primarily on campus (Callaghan and Newcastle City)
Format: Workshops, check-ins, team meetings, independent project work, final presentation, and a mock interview
This experience is designed to mirror real workplace expectations. Teamwork, communication and flexibility are essential.
Your support team
You’ll be supported throughout the program by:
- Industry project host – aka your “client”, who provides the project brief and feedback on your work
- Supervisor (The Careers Service) – supports your learning, skill development and professional development
- Course Coordinator – supports assessment and academic requirements
You’ll also have access to skill‑building workshops and online resources to help you get the most out of the experience.
Final presentation: RealWorld Lab Reveal
At the end of the program, your team will present your project at RealWorld Lab Reveal. You will:
- Deliver a short team presentation (approximately 7 minutes)
- Respond to questions from the audience
- Receive feedback from your industry project host
- Showcase your project outcomes, impact and learning
This experience helps you practice presenting to stakeholders and build strong examples for future job applications and interviews.
Skills you'll develop
By the end of RealWorld Lab, you will have strengthened key employability skills, including:
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Professional communication and public speaking
- Problem solving and analytical thinking
- Design thinking and creativity
- Self-management, resilience, and adaptability
- Confidence in professional settings
Reflecting on your experience
You’ll complete guided reflection activities to help you clearly articulate the skills you’ve developed through RealWorld Lab.
You can also book a one-on-one mock interview with The Careers Service, where you’ll practice talking about your RealWorld Lab experience in a professional interview setting and receive personalised feedback.
How to join
To take part in RealWorld Lab, follow these steps:
- Confirm your eligibility: Contact your Course Coordinator by Friday 15 May 2026 to confirm that you are eligible to participate.
- Details shared with Careers Service: Once your eligibility is confirmed, your Course Coordinator will provide your details to The Careers Service.
- Receive next steps: The Careers Service will contact you via your student email account with information about next steps. If you do not hear from them, check your junk folder or follow up with your Course Coordinator.
Questions
If you have any questions regarding RealWorld Lab, please email careers@newcastle.edu.au.
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