A new paper led by UCRH’s Sarah Miles and published in the Australian Occupational Therapy Journal has explored how new graduate occupational therapists understand and experience work readiness across their first year of practice. Co-authors include UCRH’s Dr Jo Longman and collaborators from within the Faculty of Medicine and Health and partner institutions.
The study followed six occupational therapy graduates who completed their final placement in an Australian University Department of Rural Health. Using two in-depth interviews during their first year of employment, the research examined how graduates make sense of workplace expectations and how their confidence and capability develop over time.
Participants described work readiness in terms of social intelligence, organisational know-how, workplace competence and personal attributes. Three themes emerged. First, graduates’ sense of work readiness changed over time as they gained experience and navigated new responsibilities. Second, relationships were central to all aspects of their work, from supervision and teamwork to client interactions. Third, the ability to work autonomously was seen as essential for success across diverse settings.
Graduates identified their student-led placement as a key contributor to their readiness. They felt the placement supported their caseload management skills, strengthened their autonomy, enhanced interprofessional practice and fostered meaningful self-reflection.
As the first study to explore perceptions of work readiness over time, these findings highlight that new graduates may emphasise different areas of readiness at different stages of their first year. The authors note that the graduates’ reflections have important implications for how placements and early career support structures are designed to build confidence, capability and sustained success in the occupational therapy workforce.
