The need to develop work ready graduates who can transfer the knowledge and skills from the lecture theatre to the workplace has become a key issue in higher education in Australia. In this regard, there has been a growing interest in work integrated learning (WIL) projects and its potential impact on student development. Discussed within this article are findings in relation to a WIL experiment in the form of a student-industry conference that is integrated into the assessment of a number of courses. Of particular interest is the impact the conference had on student learning, motivation and confidence. The student-industry conference brought students, academics and industry representatives together. The authentic conference approach was found to engage industry in the assessment process and this had a positive impact on student learning and student motivation.