Is the future of internships online? An examination of stakeholder attitudes towards online internships

Abstract

PurposeThe world of work is becoming digital, a process accelerated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic and resultant remote working guidelines. Online internships have become more popular in this context, and yet there remains a lack of research investigating how these internships are perceived across stakeholders. The purpose of this paper was to begin to address this research gap by exploring academic, student and employer perceptions of online internships with a focus on employability.Design/methodology/approachThe research explored 156 stakeholders (53 students, 50 academics and, 53 employer/professionals) perceptions via a mixed-methods online study encompassing quantitative responses to internship vignettes, alongside open-ended questions designed to explore stakeholder attitudes in more depth.FindingsStakeholder groups reported similar attitudes towards online internships. Overall, online internships were viewed as valid, flexible, work experience, linked to skill development and likely to enhance student employability. However, concerns were raised regarding communication protocols and development, intern isolation and a lack of organisational immersion.Practical implicationsBased on the research, the authors make three recommendations to continue to enhance and develop the online internship experience: ensure multiple methods of regular communication between student and organisation, attempt virtual immersion in the organisation and assign each intern additional support beyond their immediate supervisor.Originality/valueBased on a holistic and novel analysis of key stakeholders' viewpoints, this paper provides much needed insights and evidence on how to design and quality assure effective online internship practice.

The Current Role of Remote Human Services Internships: A Follow-Up Study

“…There is currently a lack of research on how remote internships are perceived (Irwin et al, 2022). This is especially true in the field of human services.…”

“…In general, remote internships can provide many benefits for students such as: the opportunity to enhance online networking and technological skills, provide opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, and provide flexibility in scheduling and location options (Bowers et al, 2021;Irwin et al, 2022). Remote internships can also provide opportunities for students who may need extra support to strengthen interpersonal skills before direct client contact (Mitchell et al, 2022).…”

Experiencia de prácticas profesionales online de estudiantes de Psicología de la Universidad de Talca, Chile

“…En el contexto chileno es especialmente complejo, debido a que el país vivía una situación de crisis política y social a fines de 2019 (IESALC, 2020). Otro estudio buscó conocer las percepciones de estudiantes, académicos y empleadores acerca de las prácticas profesionales en modalidad online (Irwin et al, 2021). Se observó que, en general, los participantes percibieron la práctica profesional online como una instancia válida de trabajo flexible, que provee experiencia laboral y se relaciona con el desarrollo de habilidades en los estudiantes.…”

“…Se observó que, en general, los participantes percibieron la práctica profesional online como una instancia válida de trabajo flexible, que provee experiencia laboral y se relaciona con el desarrollo de habilidades en los estudiantes. Sin embargo, existen preocupaciones por la escasa comunicación, el posible sentimiento de aislamiento en los estudiantes y la falta de pertenencia a la organización en la que desarrollan su práctica (Irwin et al, 2021).…”

“…Las prácticas profesionales son un entrenamiento en habilidades, implicando la utilización de conocimientos adquiridos en la disciplina y la adaptación a un ambiente laboral cambiante (Vo et al, 2021). Adicionalmente, la pandemia por covid-19 aceleró enormemente la transformación digital del mundo laboral, siendo indispensable el uso de herramientas tecnológicas para realizar teletrabajo (Irwin et al, 2021). La presente investigación se sitúa en la realidad de práctica profesional de los estudiantes de la carrera de Psicología de la Universidad de Talca, quienes han experimentado el condicionamiento de su plan de estudios a los cambios en su formación como consecuencia de la situación sanitaria actual.…”