Work-integrated learning (WIL) in information technology: An exploration of employability skills gained from internships

The purpose of this paper is to analyze 86 information technology (IT) internship postings to discern the extent to which the intended outcomes matched professional standards for four-year IT programs.

The researchers text mined specified skills from 86 internship postings and compared them to the competencies outlined in the ACM/IEEE Body of Knowledge.

Results indicated that students can expect to gain experience and exposure to both technical and general competencies. Though research and policy relating to technical fields have emphasized professional competencies such as teamwork, communication, and professionalism, this analysis suggested that the internship postings greatly emphasized technical skills at the expense of general competencies.

The most frequently occurring competencies suggest future research opportunities for considering contextual factors of internship sites. The researchers conclude with implications for using text mining as a tool for comparing internship intent vs outcomes as well as suggestions for policies, standards, and curricula worthy of further exploration.

Employers, educators, and professionals agree that internships offer a promising means to link course content and practical workplace skills, especially in technical fields like IT. However, less clear are the ingredients of effective IT internships.