Is forcing them worth the effort? Benefits of mandatory internships for graduates from diverse family backgrounds at labour market entry

Abstract

Mandatory internships are implemented in higher education curricula in order to ease the labour market integration of graduates. This article evaluates the utility of mandatory internships in Germany by assessing the effect on graduates' transition from higher education to work. The authors examine whether these compulsory programmes provide extra benefits for graduates from families with lower educational backgrounds. Three different outcome variables are used to characterize the labour market entry: search duration until the first significant job, employment history complexity and wages five years after graduation. The results clearly indicate that compulsory internship programmes neither have a positive effect on labour market outcomes in general, nor are they particularly beneficial for graduates from lower educational backgrounds

Work experience during higher education and post-graduation occupational outcomes: A comparative study on four European countries

“…In this way, given the lack of a proper vocational track at tertiary level in these national contexts, students could complement their general and academic competencies with practical skills more directly related to employers' requirements. Similar arrangements seem promising in Southern European countries, especially in light of the questionable effects of mandatory internship on careers development (Klein and Weiss, 2011).…”

College major, internship experience, and employment opportunities: Estimates from a résumé audit

“…Saniter and Siedler (2014) cite several studies from the education literature. But these studies, with the exception of Klein and Weiss (2011), lack identification strategies to address the problem of self selection. Klein and Weiss (2011) examine the effect of compulsory internships in Germany and find no effect of internships on employment outcomes.…”

Students' Attitudes on Social Network Sites and their Actual Use for Career Management Competences and Professional Identity Development

“…Job seekers' predictors for career-oriented self-disclosure versus inappropriate self-disclosure include beliefs that SNSs could support their professional image, social media self-efficacy, and the effectiveness of social media as a channel for searching for employment [16]. Students who are already engaged in studying, preparing for their careers and conducting social networking with potential employers are more successful in finding their first jobs [30,31]. Higher education should address employability skills through career management [32] and SNS-related opportunities for career management [10].…”

“…In this process, SNSs influence employment-related activities [8] and offer possibilities to connect in formal and informal social networks, screen for potential employers, search for jobs, etc. [31]. Facebook, adopted by young generations for personal purposes, has also become extensively used for professional and job networking purposes [12].…”