Nadia Pantidi—an interdisciplinary approach to WIL
Work-integrated learning (WIL) is a hot-button topic at Te Herenga Waka, and with the Staff showcase just around the corner, the WIL team spoke with Nadia Pantidi, Associate Dean, Research, at the Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation to find out about her approach to WIL and the opportunities she sees across the University.
Nadia’s academic journey began with a Bachelor in Psychology, followed by a Master in AI and Engineering, and a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction. “I’ve worked in various departments, including engineering and applied psychology, and have always been interested in the intersection between people and technology, with a focus on co-design,” she says.
With over ten years of teaching and researching in this space, Nadia has taken an interdisciplinary approach to her teaching and has created many opportunities to include WIL experiences in each of her courses. This is especially true for the 30-point, 300-level Interaction Design Capstone course, which students complete before graduating.
Q: Tell us how you integrate WIL opportunities into the Interaction Design Capstone and other courses:
A: In the capstone, students have six hours of class time and 150 hours of self-directed project-based work to apply all the skills and knowledge gained throughout their studies and create a final showcase piece. WIL opportunities abound throughout the course.
First, we focus on discipline-specific skills, like using industry-standard software and understanding relevant theories.
Second, we develop transferable, career-oriented skills like teamwork, presentations, and career planning. This can be delivered through short reflection exercises, or career-focused workshops that help students build their CVs and portfolios. We typically work with the Careers team at Te Herenga Waka or bring industry professionals to talk to students and give them feedback on their work.
Third, we run sessions on professional branding—often led by our Careers team—to help students present themselves well on platforms like LinkedIn.
Q: What are some examples of reflection exercises?
A: In one exercise, students map out all the courses they've ever taken during their degree and identify the knowledge they have gained.
Next, they map out their skills—both hard and soft—like public speaking or synthesising information. They then assess their strengths, what they want to improve, and set goals for the trimester.
Next, we do an Ikigai exercise which is about finding your purpose—what you're good at, what you love, what people will pay you for, and what benefits society. Students map out these areas and connect them to their projects. It often sparks inspiration and can help direct those students who are still unsure of their direction.
It’s a continuous, challenging, but valuable WIL process that’s easy to implement and helps scaffold the reflective process by linking it to the capstone project.
Q: Do you bring industry professionals into your capstone?
A: Yes, that's a WIL feature of all School of Design Innovation capstone courses. I bring in alumni and industry professionals at different stages of their careers to share their experiences.
We take students on field trips to companies like Deloitte and Xero, where they meet with UX teams and see the industry firsthand. This year, Deloitte’s entire UX team led a workshop for our students, exploring the role of designers in consulting and highlighting key skills, opportunities, and challenges in the field.
Q: Do students work on ‘real-world’ projects?
Yes, we often bring industry clients with real-world problems. They work with students and act as both clients and mentors, offering guidance throughout the project.
Students who have worked on these projects have sometimes landed paid roles after graduation in industries such as healthcare, government, and technology. Some have joined startups—often working on UX and digital product design—or the public sector.
Q: It sounds like your students are working across many disciplines and industries. Do you think there are opportunities to collaborate with other faculties on capstone projects?
A: Absolutely! There’s so much potential for cross-faculty collaboration. For instance, there are startups based in the Wellington School of Business and Government (WSBG) that could benefit from both management and design expertise.
Q: How valuable is this exposure to industry?
A: It’s incredibly valuable, especially for students who are unsure of their career paths. These visits allow them to experience real-world workplaces and visualise how their skills might translate into job opportunities. Students who meet with industry professionals build connections and often become familiar faces when applying for jobs after graduation.
Q: What are your final thoughts on WIL?
A: I believe it is crucial for us, as academics, to design our courses in a way that develops transferable skills, theoretical knowledge, and technical skills.
Embedding WIL into course design doesn’t have to be onerous. You can introduce small activities that prompt students to think on a deeper level—not just about completing assignments, but about how their learning connects to broader professional skills.
Today’s complex societal problems require teamwork, diverse perspectives, and multiple skill sets. This is especially true for fields like computer science, engineering, and design, but really, it applies everywhere.
The sooner we foster cross-disciplinary collaborations within universities—and with external stakeholders like clients, community groups, and organisations—the better we’ll prepare our students for the real world. It’s not just about preparing students for their careers; it’s about contributing to society by empowering students to solve complex problems. That’s something I try to incorporate in all my courses.
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Staff Showcase.
The VicTeach Community’s WIL and Career Learning Hub is launching a new event series at the Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation (FADI), with plans to bring it to various faculties throughout the coming year. Find out more about the WIL Staff Showcase.
Details
Date: Thursday 14 November
Time: 4.30–6.15 pm
Location: Te Aro campus, LT2