Shaping the next generation of Queensland’s leaders in prevention

Health and Wellbeing Queensland is committed to fostering excellence in education through our comprehensive University Student Engagement Program, which has become a cornerstone of our commitment to building Queensland’s future prevention health workforce. 

Since its establishment in 2021, our University Student Engagement Program has demonstrated remarkable growth and success. In 2025, we achieved an important milestone, welcoming over 100 students on placement since the program began.

This, along with countless connections we’ve built along the way through University-based teaching and learning activities including guest lectures, project supervision and mentoring, represents a significant investment in the state’s health promotion and prevention professional pipeline. This four-year journey has seen our program expand across seven Queensland university partners and multiple disciplines while maintaining our core commitment to providing meaningful, career-shaping experiences for emerging prevention health professionals. 

Our program is built on the foundation of learning and continuous improvement, values that are deeply embedded in Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s organisational culture. We provide diverse pathways for student engagement, including industry placements, undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities, and research projects that allow students to apply their theoretical knowledge on real projects in a dynamic workplace. 

The program welcomes students from a broad range of health-related disciplines, including nutrition and dietetics, public health, health promotion, psychology, pharmacy, as well as non-health fields including economics and digital health streams within business studies.  

Students participating in our program have the opportunity to make genuine contributions to Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s strategic priorities while simultaneously meeting their academic learning objectives. This dual-purpose approach requires students to develop the critical ability to integrate theoretical concepts with practical applications, a skill that proves invaluable in their future careers. 

Throughout their placements, students develop essential professional competencies including evidence-informed decision making, knowledge translation, implementation, program evaluation, project management, strategic communications, and research methods. These capabilities are fundamental to addressing the complex health challenges facing Queensland communities and ensure our students are well-prepared to lead innovative solutions in their chosen fields. 

For many students, a placement with Health and Wellbeing Queensland is their first opportunity to engage in health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Through these placements, we are strengthening prevention across different disciplines and contributing to a skilled and diverse future workforce.  

“It’s been incredibly insightful connecting with experts from different backgrounds, like dietetics and public health, and seeing how our diverse skills come together to create impactful preventative health projects. It’s also been truly valuable to be part of a professional workplace that values health and wellbeing as much as I do, embedding their own organisational initiatives that align with these values. I hope my future workplaces embody the same commitment to health and wellbeing as HWQ.”
– Emily, Master of Psychology (Health) student

“Growing up in Indonesia and working closely with Indigenous communities in Indonesia, I’ve seen how a lack of access to nutrition education and health resources can affect families across generations. These experiences inspire me to learn more and contribute to creating sustainable, community-based health solutions for them and other disadvantaged communities. “
– Garin Megan, Master of Public Health student

Central to our program’s success is our team of highly skilled and engaged supervisors who are dedicated to supporting student learning and professional development. These experienced professionals provide guidance, offering insights into career pathways, industry trends, and the practical realities of working in public health, health promotion and chronic disease prevention. 

Students play a vital role in shaping the future of public health and chronic disease prevention across Queensland. Our program ensures that the next generation of prevention health professionals develops a solid foundation in evidence-based practice, community engagement, and population health approaches that are essential for addressing emerging health challenges in local communities throughout the state. 

Through our partnerships with educational institutions, we continue to strengthen the bridge between academic learning and professional practice, creating pathways for students to become the health leaders Queensland needs for the future. 

Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s Student Engagement Program represents more than just a placement opportunity – it’s an investment in Queensland’s future and a testament to our commitment to developing the skilled professionals who will drive innovation and excellence in health and wellbeing across the state. 