A longitudinal study on internship effectiveness in vocational higher education

A cooperative education experience (or internship placement) is an essential component of the curricula of vocational higher education. The efficacy of internship placements has become one of the major concerns facing those who develop education curricula. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to explore the relationships among the multi-faceted predictors of intern commitment as a reflection of internship efficacy. Participants were drawn from third-year undergraduate students. A structural equation model applied to the final sample of 357 usable questionnaires demonstrated that individual goal orientation and mentoring positively affected both person-job and person-organization fit, leading to intern job satisfaction and commitment to the profession. A non-significant predictor, student learning goal orientation, is also comprehensively discussed. The findings imply that incorporating an internship (i.e., workplace learning experience) and professional mentoring into vocational higher education curricula would advance students' personal growth and future careers.