Program Overview

Unit Overview

The unit SPHY405 - Workplaces and Work Readiness for Speech Pathology is designed to prepare students for entry into the workplace with a sound understanding of expectations and processes. Speech pathologists need to understand and comply with workplace systems, policies, legislation, regulations, guidelines, and codes of conduct.

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

Graduates must be well-prepared for the workplace, understanding professional and personal skills, attributes, and attitudes required for success. This unit aims to develop students' understanding of workplaces, professional expectations, and job recruitment processes.

Learning Outcomes

To successfully complete this unit, students will demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

1. Critically reflect on professional and occupational competencies, personal values, and attributes related to professional job seeking.
2. Apply knowledge of workplace environments that support health and wellbeing to job seeking and service development.
3. Demonstrate critical thinking and innovation to problem-solve a speech pathology service need, considering relevant policies, practices, and guidelines.
4. Design strategies for delivering culturally safe healthcare with respect to individual, cultural, and linguistic diversity.

Unit Content

Topics include:

• The peak professional body for speech pathologists in Australia: Speech Pathology Australia
• Caseload management and service delivery
• Workplace settings: purpose, scope, and policies of sectors employing speech pathologists
• Workplace practices, guidelines, and standards
• Work readiness: concept, measurement, and evaluation
• Job seeking processes and career development
• Positive workplace environments: characteristics, strategies for creation, and dealing with difficult situations

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

The unit adopts an authentic assessment approach, requiring students to demonstrate knowledge and application of professional workplace and service delivery parameters, work readiness, self-management, and job-seeking processes. Assessments include:

1. Individual written task: Applying for a Job (50%)
2. Individual oral task: Job Interview (25%)
3. Group oral presentation task: Service Development (25%)

Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale

The unit applies a flexible, multimodal learning approach, accommodating varied placement schedules. Students engage with content from industry partners, published literature, and government and organizational websites. Interactive learning sessions are available in face-to-face and online modes.

Representative Texts and References

• Australian Government. Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. (n.d.). Quality Standards.
• Australian Government. (n.d.). Students with disability.
• Caballero, C., Walker, A., & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. (2011). The Work Readiness Scale (WRS): Developing a measure to assess work readiness in college graduates.
• Keleher, H., & Reynolds, L. (2019). Understanding the Australian Health Care System (4th ed.).
• National Disability Insurance Agency. (n.d.). National Disability Insurance Scheme.
• Speech Pathology Australia. (n.d.). Code of Ethics.
• Speech Pathology Australia. (n.d.). Position statements.

Unit Details

• Credit points: 10
• Year: 2026
• Locations: Brisbane, Melbourne, North Sydney