An altered deal? Examining industry perspectives of post-COVID higher education internships in Australia

An altered deal? Examining industry perspectives of post-COVID higher education internships in Australia

COVID necessitated a shift in how industry, higher education, and students collaborated on work integrated learning (WIL) initiatives, specifically internships. In a post-pandemic environment, how has this shift altered the traditional dynamics of the WIL internship? This study examined the experiences of 165 industry supervisors of undergraduate student internships undertaken in Australia over 3 years (2021-2023). It explored how such experiences differed across three defined modes. The study aimed to identify implications for higher education institutions and whether such WIL experiences – and the relationships which underpin them – need recalibrating in the ‘new normal’ post-pandemic environment. Results show that students experience similar outcomes in terms of workplace productivity, irrespective of internship mode. The results suggest allocated tasks differed across the three internship modes. There is a lack of willingness for organisations to extend offers of employment to students undertaking WIL via online modes as compared to in-person. This has implications for the tripartite relationship between student, higher education institution, and industry as one of the primary motivators for organisations participating in such programs is to access a pipeline of future talent. Do these dynamics alter the long-standing deal between industry and higher education?.

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