Key graduates’ attributes in navigating a remote and hybrid working environment: interns’ perspective

The ultimate goal of an internship is to enhance graduates’ attributes that will increase their chance to be employed immediately after graduation. Internship offers a unique learning experience as it enables students to apply knowledge and skills that they have acquired on campus to actual professional practice in a real-work setting. The social interaction at work also allows interns to immerse themselves with the norms and work culture thus nurturing positive values, self-confidence and work ethics. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has caused unprecedented disruptions to almost all sectors. In response to a high infectivity within the community, the Malaysian government has implemented a full lockdown or known as the movement control order (MCO) effective March 18, 2020. The restriction has forced all sectors to close temporarily except for essential services. Similarly, the Ministry of Higher Education had instructed all regular teaching and learning to be suspended, including internship with immediate effect. The implications of MCO on interns varied from temporary suspension, revocation of their internship programme or substituting the traditional internship with a hybrid or entirely a virtual arrangement by the host companies. This study argues that online and hybrid modes of internship impose a unique challenge that implicates interns’ learning experience and performance at work. The objectives of this study are to (a) understand the challenges of pursuing internship during a pandemic, (b) to explore major skills perceived important for different modes of internship and (c) to develop suitable content for internship preparation programmes for Communication students in the post-pandemic era. This study was conducted among final year students majoring in Communication at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The programme standard for Media and Communication Studies (Malaysian Qualifications Agency,2013) recognized internship or practical training as a compulsory component for those pursuing a communication programme in the country. The total credits hours for an internship course ranged from six to twelve for a degree programme. At the onset, the mode of internship has always been on-site or conventional at the workplace environment. Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, students have had no option but to perform their internship remotely or hybrid due to the implementation of MCO