A Case Study on the Impact of Internship Training in Finding Successful Job Placements: With Special Reference to South Eastern University of Sri Lanka

Abstract

In the current competitive environment, finding a suitable job with accordance to the qualification levels is actually a challenge especially in a developing country like Sri Lanka, where a considerable unemployment rate can be seen among the educated youth. Therefore universities and other institutional bodies should take interest in providing industrial training as a prime role of them. Hence our study is focused on revealing the impact of internships in finding successful job placements. This study was conducted among recently passed out graduates of the Faculty of Management and Commerce of South Eastern University from 2013 to 2015.  210 graduates were selected as the sample for this study using the propionate random sampling method which covered all three departments of all three years. Multiple data collection techniques were used to conduct this study which included semi-structured questionnaire, direct interviews, and interviews through social media. The findings revealed though most of the respondents experienced internships only few of them have experienced relevant training, and the rest has been irrelevant which indicates that there is a mismatch between the theoretical knowledge and practical exposure. The researcher suggests that the drawbacks can be eliminated through revising the faculty academic calendar, focusing on attending to number of MOU’s with relevant industries, making industrial training compulsory, and continuous monitoring and feedback.

Keywords: Internships, Graduates, Employability Skills, Job Placements