Learning to work or working to learn: entangling the difference between ‘work-integrated’ and ‘work-based’ learning

Delivering a workshop on maximising learning from work-based learning (WBL) at this summer’s WACE Conference in Turkey*, centred on work-integrated learning (WIL), prompted us to critically examine the distinctions between these two often conflated concepts. While WBL and WIL are frequently used interchangeably, our experience and research suggest they embody distinct pedagogical approaches with different implications for curriculum design and learner engagement. In this blog, we explore these differences and advocate for more nuanced research to enhance the educational value of both WBL and WIL practices.

Work-Integrated Learning

In our view, work-integrated learning refers to instances where students enrolled at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) temporarily step beyond the academic setting to engage in learning within a workplace or professional context. WIL encompasses a broad spectrum of formats (Dean et al., 2020), ranging from field trips and short-term internships to extended placements lasting up to a year. What unites these diverse experiences is the deliberate movement from classroom-based learning into real-world environments, where students are encouraged to deepen their understanding through experiential engagement and practical application.

Work-Based Learning

By contrast, work-based learning refers to programmes where the learner is primarily an employee, who also engages in structured study with a HEI as part of their working week. A typical example is a degree apprenticeship, in which the employee undertakes ‘off-the-job’ learning with an HEI (for example, Horáčková et al., 2024). Crucially, in WBL, work and study are not separate domains; rather, they are deeply integrated. The learner’s work and workplace become the site for applying academic concepts, creating a dynamic interplay between theory and practice. The learners use the work in their learning, and their learning in their work (Bloomfield et al., 2024).

Maximising learning from both WIL and WBL

We see both WIL and WBL as valuable approaches for embedding knowledge and developing skills in ways that differ from traditional higher education. However, they present distinct differences - not only for learners, but also for Higher Education Institutions and host organisations. Figure 1 below summarises some of these key distinctions.

Figure 1: Table showing key distinctions between work-integrated learning and work-based learning

At the WACE conference, we gained valuable insights into the significant institutional effort required to establish and manage WIL initiatives. However, there was comparatively little discussion around how learning can be enhanced through the active involvement of workplace mentors within host organisations. This was the focus of our workshop and remains a central theme in our research on WBL (for example, Myers et al., 2025). We believe there is considerable scope to extend this line of inquiry to WIL placements, where enhanced mentor engagement could similarly enrich student learning.

With anticipated UK government policy shifts encouraging more young people to pursue degree apprenticeships (see Bloomfield et al., 2025), we also call for further research into how different learning models - WBL and WIL - support learners at various life stages. Understanding how these approaches meet the needs of younger entrants (e.g., 18-year-olds) versus more experienced professionals is essential for developing effective strategies to build knowledge and skills across the UK workforce. This need is further amplified by the growing institutional emphasis on embedding work-integrated learning opportunities across higher education programmes more broadly. Universities are increasingly positioning WIL as a strategic response to market competitiveness in a declining graduate job market, where graduate outcomes rankings and employability metrics significantly influence student recruitment and institutional reputation. As such, there is a pressing need to explore how both degree apprenticeships and broader WIL initiatives are being designed and experienced by students, and how these models contribute to meaningful learning, professional identity formation, and career readiness across diverse learner demographics.

Sarah Bloomfield

Sarah Bloomfield is Senior Lecturer in Work and Organisational Learning and the Director of Undergraduate Apprenticeship Qualifications in the Open University Business School. Her research and practice focus on how individual and collective managerial effectiveness can be improved in the workplace, recognising that each work situation is unique.

Abigail Salter

Abigail is a Lecturer in Policing Organisation and Practice in the Faculty of Business and Law at The Open University (OU). Since joining the OU in 2018, she has contributed to the development and delivery of policing education programmes and led several scholarship projects funded by SCiLAB and Pan-University initiatives. Her work has been published and presented at national and international conferences. Abigail is currently undertaking a Doctorate in Education, exploring the lived experience of workplace learning in the Police.

Declaration on Generative AI

This blog includes content enhanced with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4), a generative AI tool developed by OpenAI and integrated into Microsoft services.

• Tool used: Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4)
• Source: https://copilot.microsoft.com
• Use: The tool was used to help generate the table and refine the writing style based on the authors’ original ideas and text.
• Date of content generation: 31 JULY 2025