Philippine E-Journals

FROM STRESS TO SUCCESS: OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES OF VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP IN THE NEW NORMAL

Pilipina B. Cagurangan | Chleo Pascual | Abigail May Ambonon

Discipline: Higher Education

 

Abstract:

The abrupt shifting of internships from physical to virtual prompted the researcher to explore the challenges experienced by students in virtual internships as well as the coping mechanisms they employed against the obstacles. This qualitative descriptive research involved a total of 16 purposely selected student interns from the three departments of Quirino State University, Cabarroguis Campus, who were deployed to their respective Host Training Establishment (HTE). The data were collected through semi-structured questionnaire and online interviews which were analyzed using thematic analysis. The thickness and richness of the field texts gathered afforded the identification of the emerging four interesting themes that highlighted their experiences such as unstable internet connectivity, fear of insufficient knowledge and skills, unorganized plan of activities, and lack of supervision. Despite the challenges that the student interns faced, they were able to cope up through consultation, self-motivation, adaptability and flexibility to the circumstances, optimism and online reference.