From novice to expert: Building professional acumen through tertiary education programs

The effective training of any professional is an important responsibility that universities undoubtedly must uphold. Due to the extensive range of professionals trained through the tertiary education sector and the potential impact of university graduates in their local, national, and international communities, university students must be equipped in the best possible way to ensure professional expertise is developed across all domains. This chapter highlights the important role of long-term practical experience in the development of professional skills and expertise for university students. It also provides a template to demonstrate how practical experience can be incorporated incrementally within university degrees from first year through to graduation as a way to ensure the gradual, yet sound, development of professional acumen is attained.