Zimbabwean universities should allow students to complete industrial attachments remotely, ZimWorX co-founder JW Oliver has said, arguing that internship polic...
Zimbabwean universities should allow students to complete industrial attachments remotely, ZimWorX co-founder JW Oliver has said, arguing that internship policies need to reflect the growing use of remote work. Oliver made the remarks in a release sent to Techzim, saying remote work had become commonplace, including in Zimbabwe.
The call comes as Zimbabwean universities currently recognise industrial attachments, also known as internships in other countries, mainly when students work on-site at their host companies. Students are generally expected to report physically to the organisation where they have been placed as part of their practical training.
Some institutions allow students to undertake attachments outside Zimbabwe, but these arrangements still require students to work in person. Bindura University of Science Education is among the institutions that allow attachments outside the country, although the student remains responsible for the travel costs of the lecturer who carries out the assessment.
Advertisement
Under the current system, a university supervisor is required to physically visit the student’s workplace to assess their work. This creates a challenge for students who secure remote opportunities with companies based outside Zimbabwe, as universities do not currently have mechanisms for assessing students working remotely from their homes.
The issue is largely linked to institutional policy and assessment procedures. A student working remotely for a United States-based company from home in Mabvuku, for example, cannot easily be assessed under a system that requires the university supervisor to physically visit the workplace.
Oliver said universities should reconsider these requirements because the nature of employment has changed. “The world is changing. The days when working for a company automatically meant being physically present at its premises are gone. Work can now be done from anywhere in the world. Industrial attachment policies in Zimbabwe’s colleges should match this reality,” he said.
He also questioned whether the traditional attachment model still reflects the realities students are expected to face after completing their studies. “The entire purpose of an internship is to prepare a student for the day-to-day realities of the work environment. If work has shifted from only being done on-site to also being done remotely, shouldn’t the learning experience reflect this?” Oliver said.
The existing requirements can have consequences for students who fail to secure on-site attachments. According to the information provided by Oliver, some students who cannot find suitable placements have their studies delayed. The situation comes at a time when employment opportunities in Zimbabwe are limited, making it difficult for students to find organisations where they can complete their required practical training.
Oliver’s position is informed partly by the work of ZimWorX, the company he co-founded. ZimWorX is structured as an Employer of Record for Zimbabweans working remotely for companies in the United States and United Kingdom. The company connects Zimbabwean workers with remote jobs and takes responsibility for matters such as salary processing and compliance with labour laws.
ZimWorX also provides a physical place where its remote workers can work. The facilities are intended to provide reliable high-speed internet and power for employees whose work is carried out remotely. The company is reported to now “employ” about 1,300 Zimbabweans through this model.
The types of jobs performed by Zimbabweans working with ZimWorX clients include receptionist, executive assistant, accountant, paralegal and marketing roles. These positions demonstrate the range of work that can be performed remotely while serving companies based outside Zimbabwe.
ZimWorX is not the only company operating in this space in Zimbabwe, although it appears to be the largest based on the information provided. Beyond companies such as ZimWorX, other Zimbabweans find remote employment directly through the internet. These workers include people involved in graphic design, software engineering and English language teaching.
The debate over remote industrial attachment therefore centres on whether university policies should recognise work that is performed away from a company’s physical premises. For students, allowing remote attachments could provide another route to gaining practical experience when suitable on-site placements are difficult to secure.
For universities, the challenge would be how to assess students working remotely while maintaining the requirements of industrial attachment programmes. The current system relies on physical workplace visits by university supervisors, while remote work does not necessarily provide a conventional workplace that can be visited.
Oliver’s proposal is for higher and tertiary education institutions to bring their industrial attachment policies in line with changes in the workplace. His argument is that if students are being prepared for employment, their practical training should also reflect the different ways in which modern work is carried out.
The issue also highlights the growing connection between Zimbabwean students and the international remote jobs market. Remote employment allows workers in Zimbabwe to perform jobs for companies in other countries without relocating, while companies such as ZimWorX provide structures for employment, salaries, compliance, internet access and power.
Allowing remote industrial attachments would not necessarily remove the need for assessment. Instead, the proposal raises the question of whether universities can develop ways of assessing students based on their actual work and learning outcomes rather than requiring every attachment to take place at a physical company location.
For students facing difficulties securing traditional industrial attachment placements, the ability to work remotely could provide another option for completing their practical training. It could also expose them to remote working arrangements that are already being used by Zimbabweans employed by companies in the United States, United Kingdom and elsewhere.
Oliver’s comments put the focus on a policy question facing Zimbabwean universities: whether industrial attachment requirements should remain centred on physical workplaces or adapt to include remote employment. His position is that the changing nature of work should be reflected in the way students gain and are assessed on practical workplace experience.
