Students' perspective of internship in vocational higher education

Milena Vukić; Marija Kuzmanović; Milorad Vukić

doi:10.7595/management.fon.2020.0018

Milena Vukić Academy of Applied Studies Belgrade, College of Hotel Management, Serbia
Marija Kuzmanović University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Serbia
Milorad Vukić Academy of Applied Studies Belgrade, College of Hotel Management, Serbia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7595/management.fon.2020.0018

Abstract

Research Question: This study aims to determine students’ satisfaction, experience and attitude toward internship in hospitality higher education. Motivation: Work integrated learning in the system of vocational higher education should enable young people, who have acquired theoretical and practical knowledge, to increase their employability, develop expertise through the process of socialization in the workplace, as well as to develop work habits and have a better understanding of the work culture. According to Hussien and La Lopa (2018), well-organized internship with detailed feedback, flexible working hours, adequate institutional support, and the ability to acquire a diverse range of skills, can increase satisfaction of all stakeholders. Idea: The main idea is to examine students’ experience, attitudes and satisfaction with internship, in order to propose practical implications for internship improvement. Data: The data were collected by means of a questionnaire during the summer term of 2017/18 academic year. The survey involved 189 students of The College of Hotel Management. Tools: Collected data were analysed and interpreted using some descriptive statistics techniques, as well as non-parametric tests such as Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal-Wallis H Test and Spearman's Rho. Findings: A vast majority of students were given employment opportunities during internship, which has increased their satisfaction. Gastronomy and hospitality students most often worked in the profession, while junior and senior students find the curriculum to a lesser extent consistent with the internship program. Students were most satisfied with the mentor’s objectivity in the assessment, and least satisfied with the school support during internship. Student satisfaction is also affected by better alignment of theory and practice, adequately rewarding overtime and doing the job for which they have been trained. Contribution: This study contributes to the identification and understanding of factors affecting satisfaction of hospitality students with internship and proposes measures to better internship organization.

Author Biographies

Milena Vukić, Academy of Applied Studies Belgrade, College of Hotel Management, Serbia

Milena Vukić is a professor of applied studies at the College of Hotel Management, Academy of Applied Studies Belgrade. Her research interest focus on consumer behaviour, marketing strategies, service sector, higher education and applicaton of quantittive methods and analytical techniques. She is member of Business association of hotel and restaurant industry – Serbia and Serbian Marketing Association.

Marija Kuzmanović, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Serbia

Marija Kuzmanović, PhD, is an associate professor in the Operations Research, Business Analytics and Game Theory at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences. She is author or co-author of 8 chapters in international monographs and over 25 papers in leading scientific journals including Expert Systems with Application, Mathematics, Higher Education and International Journal of Tourism Research. In addition to being the co-editor of the Springer monograph, Advances in Operational Research in the Balkans, she is also the author of two national monographs. Her research interests include mathematical modelling and optimization, data analytics, methods of preference measurement, and game theory.

Milorad Vukić, Academy of Applied Studies Belgrade, College of Hotel Management, Serbia

Milorad Vukić is a professor of applied studies at the College of Hospitality Management, Academy of Applied Studies, Belgrade. He has written more than 20 books on gastronomy and hospitality management. Professor Vukić is Chief of Department of Gastronomy at the Academy of Applied Studies, Belgrade and member of team for development of the National Qualifications Framework in Serbia. He is also an executive trainer and business consultant in projects with the private (medium and small enterprises) as well as the public hospitality sectors. He frequently delivers keynote presentations, speeches, seminars and workshops in both academic and professional conferences and has close collaboration with industry.