The impact of internship in public organizations on university students’ perceptions and career choice

Abstract

Although internship has substantial implications for public administration, little is known about how it affects students. This article analyzes whether internships change students’ perceptions of public organizations, and whether they ultimately affect their choice between public and private sector jobs. We surveyed 818 Singapore university students and measured their perceptions of public organizations using a masculinity index. Then, we analyzed whether those with internship experience had different perceptions from those without it. Finally, we used logistic regression to test whether perceptions of public organizations and public internship experiences explain the probability of students’ job choices. These analyses were complemented by interviews with students. The with-internship group shows significantly lower masculinity index scores than the without-internship group. The less masculine their image of public organizations, the stronger their preference for public sector jobs. Students with an unsatisfactory internship confirm or strengthen their masculine image of public organizations and avoid public sector jobs. Points for practitioners Public organizations can utilize internship programs not only to draw talent into the public service but also to improve their image. This does not happen automatically, however. Universities and public organizations should closely monitor what students actually do during an internship and why they are satisfied or dissatisfied with it. Our research shows that a negative internship experience can have a more negative impact on the image of public organizations and the decision to work in these organizations than no internship at all. This finding suggests that the government should pay more attention to the needs of interns and institutionalize a procedure to evaluate students’ satisfaction with internship programs.