When choice excels obligation: about the effects of mandatory and voluntary internships on labour market outcomes for university graduates

Bittmann, Felix; Zorn, Viktoria Sophie

doi:10.1007/s10734-019-00466-5

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Previous research into internships and placements identified the importance of such factors as the structure and nature of internships and their design (Silva et al, 2018 ), and whether they are mandatory, compulsory or facultative/voluntary (Bittman & Zorn, 2020 ). Accordingly, our types delineate student workplace learning between the two extreme ideal types of Pure HE (type 1), which would be an entirely on-campus classroom-type experience, and type 8, independent internship post-graduation, once HEI enrolment is complete.…”

Section: Typology Of Internships/placementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student internships and work placements: approaches to risk management in higher education

2021

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The increased use of student internships and other forms of work placements in higher education programmes brings recognised benefits to students but also changes the risks for higher education institutions (HEIs) globally. This paper responds to the under-addressed problem for HEI managers of understanding the varying levels of risk of harm to students and HEIs, and the HEIs’ strategic responsibilities to understand how to mitigate the risk for both parties. We develop a typology of the main types of internship placements and theorise their associated levels of risk according to the HEI’s levels of responsibility and operational control. The risk types are then plotted in a model of risk mitigation, mapped against the frequency of their occurrence and the severity of their impact, with a focus on HEIs and students. We conclude with practical and policy implications for HEIs and their managers. Our paper argues that HEIs must balance their risks and responsibilities with the costs and benefits of student internships and work placements, and contributes to understanding potential gaps between HEI strategic decision-making and operational practice at the programme level, along with solutions to address these.

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Section: Typology Of Internships/placementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Student internships and work placements: approaches to risk management in higher education

2021

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“…Also doing an internship may have positive effects on the social networks of STEM graduates. Through internships, interns can establish professional relationships that cannot be built in the university environment (Bittmann & Zorn, 2020) and may be leveraged when the interns eventually engage in entrepreneurial activities. Probably, these relationships are particularly beneficial for the graduates who encounter greater difficulties in establishing large networks, such as women.…”

Section: H3 Attending Multi-program Courses Reduces the Gender Imbalance In Entrepreneurial Entry Among Recent Stem Graduatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hence, doing an internship may have more positive effects on the returns from entrepreneurial entry expected by female STEM graduates. However, it is worth recognizing that doing internships also facilitates STEM graduates' job search; interns are often hired by the same companies where the internships are completed or by related employers (Bittmann & Zorn, 2020). Hence, doing an internship increases also the opportunity costs of entrepreneurial entry, given by graduates' lost wages as salaried employees.…”

Section: H3 Attending Multi-program Courses Reduces the Gender Imbalance In Entrepreneurial Entry Among Recent Stem Graduatesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mind the gender gap: the impact of university education on the entrepreneurial entry of female and male STEM graduates

Piva

Rovelli

2021

Small Bus Econ

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Women are consistently underrepresented among graduate entrepreneurs. This is especially true among the entrepreneurs who graduate in STEM fields. Here, we aim at identifying factors that reduce/enlarge the gender imbalance in entrepreneurship among STEM graduates. In particular, we explore the underinvestigated association between university education in STEM fields and entrepreneurial entry of recent female and male graduates considering graduates’ whole university curriculum. Our analyses on the graduates who obtained a Master of Science degree in the 2005–2009 period from Politecnico di Milano reveal that training in economics and management reduces the gender imbalance in entrepreneurial entry among STEM recent graduates. The gap is instead larger among the graduates who attended courses that aggregate students from different STEM fields or did an internship.

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“…Previous studies (e.g. Bittmann and Zorn, 2019; Bowen, 2019; Okolie et al, 2021b; Silva et al, 2016; Ranabahu et al, 2020) have noted the important role of WPL in HE systems, including exposing students to the world of work, helping them to learn new skills specific to their field of study, exposing them to entrepreneurial opportunity identification, enhancing their employability skills and enabling them to make career-related decisions. However, a pertinent issue that has remained relatively little covered in the literature is the need to ascertain the most effective instructional methods of WPL delivery that industry-based instructors can adopt to enhance students' learning experience.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

How do work placement learning instructional methods enhance students’ learning experiences?

Ogba¹,

Okolie²,

Udu³

et al. 2022

Industry and Higher Education

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This study focuses on identifying the most effective instructional methods of work placement learning (WPL) delivery that industry-based instructors can adopt to enhance students’ learning experiences. Employing interview and focus group methods, the authors learned from 39 participants, including 21 higher education students who had undertaken WPL in various industries and 18 industry-based instructors who have been providing placement learning tasks (instructions) to students. Focusing on the four most effective methods identified from the thematic analysis – namely, exploration, elaboration, engagement and evaluation (operationalised as the 4E instructional methods) – the authors analyse how the 4E instructional methods contribute to facilitating students’ learning experience during work placements. Drawing on experiential learning theory and the findings of the study, recommendations are offered for the adoption of the 4E instructional methods for the effective delivery of WPL tasks to facilitate students’ work-related knowledge, skills and attitudes for their future career development and employability.

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When choice excels obligation: about the effects of mandatory and voluntary internships on labour market outcomes for university graduates

Cited by 19 publications

References 26 publications

Student internships and work placements: approaches to risk management in higher education

Student internships and work placements: approaches to risk management in higher education

Mind the gender gap: the impact of university education on the entrepreneurial entry of female and male STEM graduates

How do work placement learning instructional methods enhance students’ learning experiences?

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