Students who have completed their internships as part of university degree are better at making practical career decisions and are more satisfied with their career choices, research from the UK and Australia indicates. It also appears that the longer the internship, the more employable the students feel they are.

In most parts of the world, an internship for business students generally includes one paid year in the industry. This forms part of the longstanding “sandwich degree” model where students undertake 2 years at university, one year in industry and then return to university for their final year of study.

Students who spent a longer time in industry felt they were more likely to acquire employment and were better positioned in contrast to those on shorter internships. Workers who consider themselves as more employable cope better with job insecurity and are more prone to conduct better in their jobs. So the longer the internship, the better.

Students, who had completed an internship, when making comparisons with those who didn’t, were better at making efficacious career decisions. The study found this is because students figured out their own personal priorities and how this impacts their career decisions. Insight into the realities of a profession assisted them learn whether it aligned with their personal values and sometimes the internship told them pretty obvious which career pathway not to take.

Also due to the internship, students got feedback from other experts on what skills are required and where they required improving. The recruitment procedure into the internship, commonly resume screening and an interview, also assisted them understand what employers are searching for.

Reasons behind the requirement of career management skills for students

Students require different skills to navigate a labor market in unstable economic situations. A rising number of graduates aren’t’, and we are also seeing more underemployment, with graduates in less skilled positions.

In a period of extreme international competition for jobs, being capable to recruit and retain graduates who’re committed, satisfied and productive is critical for any business. Employers claim that new graduates be “well-rounded” with strong technical, communication and team-working skills. They also seek life experience via the activities of sporting and community.

Although, all this might be meaningless if they do not know what jobs are out there, what their own strengths and weaknesses are, or have not established any professional contacts to assist get their foot in the door.

Better skills of career management means students are more likely to get a job but the advantages do not stop there. In the end of the “job for life” era, graduates will use these skills to stay employed by moving across different positions, securing short-term work contracts and even seeking jobs abroad.

If students are better at planning for their careers, it might also decrease charges to employers from a high turnover of staff and lower productivity and wellbeing when graduate recruits are poorly matched to available roles.