Exploring interns’ satisfaction: A case study of United Arab Emirates

Purpose: The main objectives of this research were to explore student satisfaction, experiences, and benefits gained from the internship course. Furthermore, the research also aims to identify factors that have greater impact on graduate employability in the Gulf region, specifically in the United Arab Emirates. Method: The sample for the present study comprised students who completed an internship during the first semester of the 2016–2017 academic year. A 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree was used for each item. Data accrued from students attending five colleges at AAU. Findings: Results revealed that interns’ satisfaction with internship experience strongly related to having a positive internship experience, skills enhancement gained from the internship, and a clarified job outlook. Additionally, results indicated interns assessed their experiences based on a number of factors that reflect the benefits they gained through the internship which have positive impact on employability. Significance: The significance of the this research is that many universities will be able to identify the factors that lead to interns’ satisfactions with internship hence improve the graduates employabilities.