Abstract

Internships have traditionally been seen as a valuable way for university students to get preliminary job knowledge and experience, increasing their employability in a competitive labor market. By defining and assessing the drivers of internship effectiveness, this study seeks to determine the extent to which student interns’ traits and organizational practices contribute to their internship success. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the Internship Program and its perceived effect on the employability readiness of Bachelor of Science in Office Administration – San Pablo City Campus students.  Three individual factors (academic preparedness, positive attitude, and self-initiative) and four organizational factors (challenge job, effective supervision, task clarity, and compensation) were identified as critical ingredients of a practical internship based on a literature review and the findings of three focus group discussions. To investigate this further, a quantitative study involving 88 student interns was conducted. The results indicated that while individual factors played a significant role in determining internship effectiveness, supervisor effectiveness and task clarity were also positively associated with internship success. The implications and instances of practical application are examined, along with recommendations for student interns and organizations seeking to maximize the effectiveness of their internship programs. Finally, the study’s shortcomings are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research on this subject.

Keywords: academic preparedness, positive attitude, self-initiative, task clarity, compensation