Regulating Internships

Considers the regulatory challenges posed by phenomena of workplace learning and examines how they are managed in Australia and overseas

People listening

Internships are both common and controversial.  This project explores the ways they are regulated in Australia and internationally, to identify regulatory and practical issues and develop best practice recommendations for managing internships to maximise the benefits and minimise risks for all stakeholders.

Project outputs

  • Hewitt, A & Cameron, C (forthcoming 2023) “Employee or Student Learner? Managing the Risks of Providing Financial Support to Students Undertaking Work Experience” Australian Journal of Labour Law.
  • Cameron C, Fleming J, Hay K & Hewitt A (2023) “Risk management” in Zegwaard K, & Pretti J (eds) International Handbook for Work-Integrated Learning (3rd ed) WACE International.
  • Hewitt, A (2022) “Is Legislation Governing Tertiary Work Experience Effective? Exploring the Regulatory Role Played by Australian Universities” 50(1) Federal Law Review  62-85
  • Hewitt, A. (2021) “Universities as internship regulators: Evidence from Australia” in A. Stewart, R. Owens, A. Hewitt, & N. O'Higgins (Eds.) Internships, Employability and the Search for Decent Work Experience (pp. 223-238). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. 
  • Stewart, A., Owens, R., O'Higgins, N., & Hewitt, A. (2021) “Developing new standards for internships” in A. Stewart, R. Owens, N. O'Higgins, & A. Hewitt (Eds.) Internships, Employability and the Search for Decent Work Experience (pp. 335-348). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. 
  • Stewart, A., Owens, R., O'Higgins, N., & Hewitt, A. (2021) “Internships: A policy and regulatory challenge” in A. Stewart, R. Owens, N. O'higgins, & A. Hewitt (Eds.) Internships, Employability and the Search for Decent Work Experience (pp. 2-16). Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing / International Labour Organization. 
  • Hewitt, A., Owens, R., Stewart, A., & Howe, J. (2021) “Are work experience participants protected against sex discrimination or sexual harassment?” 46(2) Alternative Law Journal 115-119. 
  • Stewart, A., Owens, R., O'Higgins, N., & Hewitt, A. (Eds.) (2021). Internships, Employability and the Search for Decent Work Experience. Edward Elgar Publishing / International Labour Organization. 
  • Hewitt, A., Stewart, A., Owens, R., & Howe, J. (2021) Protecting Students at Work: Australian Universities and regulating for quality work experience. Adelaide Law School, The University of Adelaide. 
  • Hewitt, A. (2018) “Avoiding the Trap of Exploitative Work: A National Approach to Making Work-Integrated Learning Effective, Equitable and Safe” 31(2) Australian Journal of Labour Law 101-130.
  • Stewart, A., Hewitt, A., Oliver, D., & McDonald, P. (2018) “The Nature and Prevalence of Unlawful Unpaid Work Experience in Australia” 31(2) Australian Journal of Labour Law 156-178.
  • Hewitt, A., Owens, R., & Stewart, A. (2018) “Mind the Gap: Is the Regulation of Work-integrated Learning in Higher Education Working?” 44(1) Monash University Law Review 234-266.
  • Stewart, A., Owens, R., Hewitt, A., & Nikoloudakis, I. (2018). The regulation of internships: A comparative study. International Labour Organization. 
  • Owens, R., Stewart, A., Hewitt, A., & Howe, J. (2017) “Labour regulation, work experience and youth: lessons from the scholarship of Ann Numhauser-Henning” in M. Rönnmar, & VotiniusJ (Eds.) Festskrift till Ann Numhauser-Henning (pp. 643-659). Lund, Sweden: Juristförlaget in Lund. 
  • Hewitt, A., Owens, R., Stewart, A., & Howe, J. (2017) “At the intersection of education and work: young people, equality and regulation of the labour market” in J. Howe, A. Chapman, & I. Landau (Eds.) The Evolving Project of Labour Law Foundations, Development and Future Research Directions (pp. 102-116). Annandale, NSW: Federation Press.