Challenges Encountered By Hospitality Management Students During Internship
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65023/jherd.v10i1.256Abstract
An internship played a crucial role in developing students' hard skills and competencies by bridging the gap between classroom knowledge and practical experience. However, some research indicated that achieving an effective internship experience requires an understanding of its challenges. The study identified the challenges faced by students in Hospitality Management during their internships, examined their responses to these challenges, and assessed the roles of academic institutions and Host Training Establishments in contributing to the success of the internship program. The research utilized Yin's six-step data analysis method: planning, designing, preparing, gathering, observing, and sharing. The investigation was carried out at Northwestern Mindanao State College, which is a publicly funded tertiary educational institution situated in Tangub City, throughout the second semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. A total of 12 participants were chosen for the study using purposive sampling. The results revealed the five themes of the challenges encountered: (1) Experiencing Financial Struggles, (2) Time Management Dilemma, (3) Communication Barrier, (4) Deployment Declination, and (5) Emotional Troubles. Four themes were produced on managing the challenges during the internship: (1) Looking for Financial Assistance, (2) Having Interpersonal Communication, (3) Being Receptive to Circumstances, (4) Mental Strengthening and Fostering Self Control. While there are eight themes developed for the roles of the academic institution and the host training establishment in achieving a high standard of internship: (1) Participate in Continuous Evaluation and Feedback Procedures (2) Enabling Job Role Transition (3) Facility Construction (4) Pursuing Fair Management and Building of Explicit Decisions (5) Engaging of Constant Monitoring (6) Economic Assistance Program(7) Involvement in Academic Endeavor (8) Establishing Support Mechanisms and Consultation. Internship training frequently involves personal and interpersonal problems. Academic institutions and host training facilities are responsible for providing students with constant support throughout their internship.
References
Anjum, S. (2020). Impact of internship programs on professional and personal development of business students: a case study from Pakistan. Future Business Journal, 6(1), 2.
Bawica, I. M. (2021). The University Internship Program and its Effects on Students’ Employability Readiness. International Journal of Academe and Industry Research, 2(3), 86-101.
Bhandari, P. (2020) What Is Qualitative Research? Methods & Examples. Retrieved from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/qualitative-research
Birch, C., Allen, J., McDonald, J., & Tomaszczyk, E. (2010). Graduate internships—bridging the academic and vocational divide. In Proceedings of the 17th EDINEB Conference: Crossing borders in education and workbased learning (pp. 194-195). London: FEBA ERD Press.
Bukaliya, R. (2012). The potential benefits and challenges of internship programmes in an ODL institution: A case for the Zimbabwe Open University. International Journal on New Trends in Education and Their Implications, 3(1), 118-133
Carlsson, Y., Bergman, S., Nilsdotter, A., & Liljedahl, M. (2023). The medical internship as a meaningful transition: A phenomenographic study. Medical Education.
Cheong, A. L. H., Yahya, N. B., Shen, Q. L., & Yen., A. Y. (2013). Internship Experience: An In-Depth Interview Among Interns at a Business School of a Malaysian Private Higher Learning Institution. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences.
CMO-62 (2017, July 19). Policies, Standards and Guidelines for Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) and Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management (BSHM). Quezon, Philippines: Gazette. Retrieved from CHED: www.ched.gov.ph.
Dahanayake, S. N. S., Biyiri, E. W., & Dassanayake, D. M. C. (2019). Tourism and hospitality undergraduates’ internship experience, their satisfaction and impact on future career intentions. Journal of Management Matters, 6(1), 33-34 Retrieved from http://repository.rjt.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/123456789/2538/33-42.pdf?sequence=1
Devlin, M., & McKay, J. (2018). The financial realities for students from low SES backgrounds at Australian regional universities. ASustralian and International Journal of Rural Education, 28(1), 121-136.
Galbraith, D., & Mondal, S. (2020). The Potential Power of Internships and the Impact on Career Preparation. Research in Higher Education Journal, 38. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/yfactk6s on June 26, 2023.
GangulI, P. (2019). Internship Practices in the Hospitality Sector in India: A Career Benefit or Precarious Experience. Mahatma Gandhi Central University Journal of Social Sciences,78-89 Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/zurkyfu7.
Gashaw, Z. (2019). Challenges facing internship programme for engineering students as a learning experience: a case study of Debre Berhan University in Ethiopia. IOSR J Mechanical Civil Eng, 16(1), 12-28.
Gibbs, G. (2018). HyperRESEARCH. In Sage Encyclopedia of Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation. SAGE Publications Inc..
Guest, G., Bunce, A., & Johnson, L. (2006). How many interviews are enough? An experiment with data saturation and variability. Field methods, 18(1), 59-82.
Harrison, R. W., & Kennedy, P. L. (1996). A framework for implementing agribusiness internship programs. Agribusiness: An International Journal, 12(6), 561-568.
Hennink, M. M., Kaiser, B. N., & Marconi, V. C. (2017). Code saturation versus meaning saturation: how many interviews are enough?. Qualitative health research, 27(4), 591-608.
Jena, P. K. (2020). Impact of Covid-19 on higher education in India. International Journal of Advanced Education and Research (IJAER), 5.
Kent State University, (2021), “What is experiential learning and why is it important?” available at:
https://www.kent.edu/community/what-experiential-learning-and-why-it-important (accessed 29 June 2021)
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall.
Kroon, N., & Franco, M. (2022). Antecedents, processes, and outcomes of an internship program: an employer’s perspective. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 14(2), 556-574.
Kukreti, R., & Dani, R. (2020). Analyzing role of university/institute support and organizational environment in industrial training satisfaction of hospitality students: with reference to Uttarakhand. International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering, 8(6), 549-554.
Lam, T., & Ching, L. (2007). An exploratory study of an internship program: The case of Hong Kong students. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 26(2), 336-351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2006.01.001
Lee, C. S., Chao, C. W., & Chen, H. I. (2015). The relationship between HRM practices and the service performance of student interns perspective. South African Journal of Business Management, 46(3), 1-10.
Losekoot, E., Lasten, E., Lawson, A., & Chen, B. (2018). The development of soft skills during internships: The hospitality student’s voice. Research In Hospitality Management, 8(2), 155-159. doi:10.1080/22243534.2018.1553386
Margaryan, S., Saniter, N., Schumann, M., &Siedler, T. (2020). Do internships pay off? The effects of student internships on earnings. Journal of Human Resources. https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.57.4.0418-9460R2.
Meeuwisse, M., Severiens, S. E., & Born, M. P. (2010). Learning environment, interaction, sense of belonging and study success in ethnically diverse student groups. Research in Higher Education, 51, 528-545.
Mensah, C., Azila-Gbettor, E. M., Appietu, M. E., &Agbodza, J. S. (2021). Internship work-related stress: a comparative study between hospitality and marketing students. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 33(1), 29-42. https://doi.org/10.1080/10963758.2020.1726769
Merrill, A. F., & Afifi, T. D. (2012). Examining the bidirectional nature of topic avoidance and relationship dissatisfaction: The moderating role of communication skills. Communication Monographs, 79(4), 499-521.
Megasari, E. M., Yoto, Y., & Widiyanti, W. (2025). The Role of Internship Experience, Soft Skills, and Self-Efficacy in Enhancing Vocational Readiness: A Systematic Literature Review. Didaktika: Jurnal Kependidikan, 14(4 Nopember), 6353-6370.
Narayanan, V. K., Olk, P. M., & Fukami, C. V. (2010). Determinants of internship effectiveness: An exploratory model. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 9(1), 61-80.
Neubauer, B. E., Witkop, C. T., &Varpio, L. (2019). How phenomenology can help us learn from the experiences of others. Perspectives on Medical Education, 8, 90-97.
Nimbalkar, S.J. (2015). 20 Weeks Internship: opportunities, Challenges and Measures, pp.72-74, National Conference on Teacher Education: Changing Scenario proceeding. Sangli: SPSCollege of Education.
Park, J., & Min, H. K. (2020). Turnover intention in the hospitality industry: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 90, 102599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102599
Polyiem, T., & Nuangchalerm, P. (2022). Self-Development of Teacher Students through Problem-Based Learning. Journal of Educational Issues, 8(1), 747-756.
Purwito, L., Rasyad, A., & Ishaq, M. (2021). Informal Learning: Approaches to Competencies Development for Construction Service Interns. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 96(96), 182-200.
Pusiran, A. K., Janin, Y., Ismail, S., & Dalinting, L. J. (2020). Hospitality internship program insights. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 12(2), 155-164.
Rafati, F., Nouhi, E., Sabzevari, S., & Dehghan-Nayeri, N. (2017). Coping strategies of nursing students for dealing with stress in clinical setting: A qualitative study. Electronic physician, 9(12), 6120.
Rashid, Y., Rashid, A., Warraich, M. A., Sabir, S. S., & Waseem, A. (2019). Case study method: A step-by-step guide for business researchers. International journal of qualitative methods, 18, 1609406919862424.
Rothman, M. (2007). Lessons learned: Advice to employers from interns. Journal of Education for business, 82(3), 140-144.
Safitri, R. H. R., Fadilah, O. A., & Halim, V. (2023). Communication skills in solving hotel guests’ problems at food and beverages services department the post covid-19 pandemic era. Journal of Gastro Tourism, 1(1), 20-24.
Seyitoğlu, F. (2019). Gastronomy students’ internship experience: benefits, challenges, and future career. Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 19(4), 285–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313220.2019.1566044.
Shahin, W., Issa, S., Jadooe, M., Shmoae, M., Yelegin, M., Selvarajah, S., ... & Thrimawithana, T. (2023). Coping mechanisms used by pharmacists to deal with stress, what is helpful and what is harmful? Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, 9, 100205.
Singh, A., & Sharma, A. (2021). Acceptance of MOOCs as an alternative for internship for management students during COVID-19 pandemic: an Indian perspective. International Journal of Educational Management, 35(6), 1231-1244.
Sitepu, Y. K. S., Silalahi, W. P., Silalahi, M., Manurung, H., & Lumbantobing, K. (2022). A Phenomenological Study:
Tourism Students’ Views on Hotel Internship Experiences in Indonesia. EDUKATIF: JURNAL ILMU PENDIDIKAN, 4(6), 7928-7936.
Thi Ngoc Ha, N., & Dakich, E. (2022). Student internship experiences: areas for improvement and student choices of internship practices. Education+ Training, 64(4), 516-532.
Vo, N. T., Le, L. H. P., & Lam, V. T. T. (2022). Challenges for student satisfaction of internship program in hospitality and tourism industry in Vietnam. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 23(5), 1298-1324.
Yin, R. K. (1994). Discovering the future of the case study. Method in evaluation research. Evaluation practice, 15(3), 283-290.
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (Vol. 5). SAGE.
Zehr, S. M., & Korte, R. (2020). Student internship experiences: learning about the workplace. Education+ Training, 62(3), 311-324.
