Abstract
This study explored the vital role of soft skills in shaping the internship experiences of students and their overall impact on instructional competence and career readiness. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach, the research combined quantitative data from 123 fourth-year education students with qualitative insights gathered from 14 participants through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. The objective was to examine how students developed and applied communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills during their internships, and how these competencies influenced their performance in real-world teaching settings. Surveys and interviews captured students’ perceptions of their internship experiences and how these contributed to their personal and professional growth. The findings indicated that the students generally exhibited strong soft skills, with critical thinking emerging as the most developed, followed by communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the internship experience was shaped by factors such as mentorship quality, program structure, and the alignment between students’ responsibilities and their academic preparation. These results provided valuable insights for educational institutions, industry partners, and policymakers in enhancing internship programs to better prepare students for future careers. Strengthening the design of internship experiences can help equip students with essential competencies for success in the workforce. This research adds to the growing body of knowledge on experiential learning and reinforces the significance of internships as a core element of higher education.
