Educational practices in a Work Integrated Learning context have been widely recognized as drivers of graduate employability in Higher Education. Much of the extant research, however, focuses on short-term outcomes, most commonly graduates’ ability to secure an initial role in industry. Yet, employability should be conceived in holistic and longitudinal terms, transcending the immediate achievement of getting one’s first job.

Adopting a qualitative lens, this study examines the transformational impact of a Bachelor of Business Marketing program in the Kingdom of Bahrain, rooted in a WIL, project-based learning framework and structured around real-life client marketing challenges. Drawing upon 24 participant reflections this paper explores how repeated exposures to authentic marketing challenges, guided industry partnerships, and consistent real-world assessment mechanisms shaped graduates’ professional identities, personal confidence, and career trajectories beyond a first job.

Findings demonstrate that agency-style project work and an immersive learning environment impact professionalization: from communication and team skills, to strategic thinking and self-efficacy. Graduates frequently highlighted a profound sense of professional identity that continued to inform their career decisions. The paper concludes by proposing avenues to refine the design–delivery–assessment (DDA) WIL approach, thereby fostering a more enduring contribution to learners’ professional journeys.

Keywords: Work Integrated Learning, Fit for Purpose Higher Education, Employability, Project Based Learning, Teaching and Learning.