Chapter two
Literature Review
2.0: Introduction
This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the existing body of literature concerning the
role of student internships on employment opportunities in selected private sectors in
Mogadishu, Somalia. The literature highlights how internships offer valuable work experience,
improve interpersonal skills, and help students build social networks. The reviewed literature has
been drawn from a variety of academic journals, articles, and studies addressing similar issues.
2.1: The role of student internship on employment opportunities
An internship serves as a student's initial introduction to the job market where they participate in
activities related to their field. It is essential to secure a job opportunity in any organization. It
also offers chances connected to job abilities and understanding, including interpersonal skills,
communication abilities, and teamwork skills, among others. Some individuals view university
degrees as a way to market grand aspirations, with students acting as consumers. Students attend
universities for various reasons, such as obtaining a degree or receiving professional training that
emphasizes hands-on experience. Consequently, a majority of researchers concur that
experiential education is essential for securing job prospects in any organization. An internship
offers students their initial exposure to applying academic knowledge to real-world challenges by
participating in job-related tasks. It offers chances to acquire practical skills, including
teamwork, efficient communication, problem-solving capabilities, and organizational expertise.
Internship includes a variety of learning experiences, including academic education, cooperative
education, applied practicum, and community service education (Shaheen et al., 2022).
An internship combines classroom knowledge and theory with hands-on experience and skill-
building in a professional environment. Internships allow students to acquire valuable practical
experience and network in potential career fields, while also providing employers with the
chance to mentor and assess talent.
College students may gain advantages from participating in an internship to clarify their career
goals, assess their interest in a specific field, establish connections, or earn academic credit.
Some interns may also secure permanent paid positions with the companies they interned for.
Numerous employers choose to hire their interns who have been successful because they require
minimal or no training upon transitioning to full-time regular positions. Connecting academic
and extracurricular components of an internship is essential for students to achieve their
educational and career aspirations and improve their postgraduation job prospects. In recent
times, internships in higher education have become extremely popular. The importance of
internships in preparing students for careers after graduation is acknowledged by the faculty.
Students are understanding that engaging in hands-on learning like internships and co-op
education can lead to creating a valuable network, ultimately leading to successful career
placement. College students who have participated in internships are more likely to secure
employment in their field shortly after graduation than those who lack career-related experience.
Employers seek individuals with a college education and skills shown through applying their
academic knowledge, mental abilities, and hands-on work experience. Industries seek future
workforce from postsecondary institutions who are critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and
responsible team players.
In academic programs, preparing for employability is crucial for both general education and
acquiring discipline-specific knowledge and skills necessary for future employment. To ensure a
successful internship program, it is crucial to take into account the learning atmosphere that is
advantageous for the student. Institutional administrators need to fully dedicate themselves to
this process and persuade educators to incorporate employability skills and attributes into their
teaching methods, focusing on both the content and delivery of the subject matter. To start
developing a curriculum for employability, it is important to create a curriculum plan that
includes goals and learning outcomes. If the major does not mandate work experience, the
curriculum should incorporate tasks commonly found in the workplace. Interns are able to use
their academic knowledge, skills, and concepts from their major or area of interest in the
workplace due to their preparation. Establishing collaborations between academic institutions
and companies is essential in enhancing opportunities for career-focused learning and increasing
interns' chances of securing future employment. The employers and institutions need to have a
shared set of necessary skills and attributes for interns. Institutions need to understand the skills,
knowledge, and abilities that employers expect from graduates to align them with the educational
practices within the institution (Patel, 2015).
Findings from the Human Capital Study conducted in Poland showed that educational
qualifications and work experience were the key recruitment factors in job postings for
candidates applying for engineering and specialist roles. In addition, during the years 2010–
2014, approximately 75% of employers in Poland faced difficulties in recruiting new staff. The
primary factors included insufficient experience, lacking skills, and low motivation to perform
tasks. Thus, the challenge for educational systems is to prepare young individuals with the skills
pertinent to the demands and obstacles of the job market and the evolving economic landscape.
In addition to formal degree qualifications, skills for employability need to be cultivated. An
individual’s employability is regarded as a combination of various elements, such as their
educational history, professional and personal experiences, attitude, drive, and other personal
qualities. All of them united form the ability of a person to secure a job, retain employment, and
navigate the evolving landscape of work. Thus, employability skills are crucial at every stage of
a career because they assist: first, in securing the initial job; second, in retaining employment and
advancing a career; and third, in obtaining additional employment if needed. Nonetheless,
employability relies not just on a person's skills. It is regarded as a more intricate and varied
problem. Job opportunities are also influenced by external elements, such as labor market
dynamics and the overall economic climate. The role of the education system in enhancing
employability is crucial, especially during the early phase of a career. Improving graduate
employability is a primary requirement for the education system at all levels, including tertiary
education. A key goal for 2012–2018 is to enhance the employability of its graduates.
Universities ought to prepare young individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills for the
workforce, while also enhancing and fostering their employability. They ought to establish
programs that integrate both theoretical and practical components. Employability skills help
graduates join the job market and then adjust to the evolving conditions of the workplace. The
ongoing adjustment is a crucial requirement for workers throughout their entire professional
journey. Consequently, the requirements from the government, employers, and students exert
ongoing pressure on higher education institutions to equip graduates for the demands of the labor
market (Tomlinson 2012). The employability of graduates is seen as an indication of the quality
of education (Baron-Puda, 2017)
Internships have been characterized as being advantageous for both students and organizations.
The idea of internships is not new and has been utilized as a means of skill acquisition for
various occupations since medieval times. (Taylor 1999:1) indicates. For instance, students gain
a lot from doing internships because they learn about what a specific profession entails and can
then make educated decisions about their career paths. Students in internships not just watch, but
also engage in the real tasks of the organization. As a result, many gain a better understanding of
the responsibilities and difficulties associated with that specific role. In addition to learning new
skills, students enhance their writing and analytical abilities during internships, as well as
building important professional connections for future opportunities. According to Gordon et al
(2000), student interns gain a greater understanding of classroom-taught concepts by putting
them into practice in a real-world environment. Stone and MeLauren (1999; 172) explain
additional advantages - Agency work helps students understand their career path. Through
completing job-related assignments, students gain the confidence to seek employment in the
industry.
Internships can serve as methods for recruiting and screening potential new hires. Furthermore,
certain organizations have been extremely impressed with the interns' performances and
subsequently hired them (Ross & Elechi, 2002).
2.2: The role of work experience on employment opportunities
The move from education to employment is a crucial period in the lives of young people, as
seamlessly entering the job market is essential for their future career. With the increase in
education levels, there is a growing competition for jobs among university graduates due to a
higher number of individuals with the same qualifications entering the labor market. As higher
education credentials lose credibility as indicators of productivity, employers may start placing
more importance on alternative factors like social background when making hiring choices. Most
of the research in higher education focuses on how different fields of study and the quality of
institutions affect individuals' job prospects and career progression when they enter the labor
market. The impact of additional attributes outside of academics, such as work experience, on
employment outcomes is frequently overlooked, despite past studies showing the beneficial
effect of work experience on moving from unemployment to employment. A significant number
of students are employed before and during their time in college, so a portion of the financial
benefits of education may actually stem from their previous work experience. An example is the
‘Reflex-survey’ of higher education graduates in Europe, which reveals that 79% of higher
education graduates in Germany participated in a work placement or internship while studying.
Because work experience differs in length and type based on one's social background, examining
its impact on the labor market is important for discussing inequality in higher education.
Previous studies, which concentrate on specific groups of graduates or use a descriptive approach
in analysis, indicate that the impact of early work experience on labor market outcomes varies
depending on the type of experience. Fieldwork experience typically has a positive impact on
labor market performance, while non-fieldwork jobs or required internships may have no effect
or even a negative impact. Yet, only a small number of research studies analyze the impacts of
various kinds of initial work exposure in a thorough manner and investigate the reasons for
different outcomes in the job market (Weiss et al., 2014)
It is believed that higher education helps shape individuals completely, leading to high demand
for graduates in the workforce. Nevertheless, at present, numerous recent graduates are in jobs
below their skill level worldwide, and universities are taking steps to enhance their students' job
prospects by incorporating more explicit employability content in their curriculum, such as
adding specialized modules or providing opportunities for students to gain work experience
through projects, internships, and partnerships with companies. An increasing amount of colleges
and universities are integrating work placements or internships into their programs to help
unemployed graduates gain experiential learning opportunities. Internships have a strong
presence, especially in specific industries and regions, and gaining work experience has always
been essential for the success of sandwich courses in higher education. This paper will also
analyze if internships, which allow students to learn through real-life work experience, improve
their job prospects after graduation in addition to summarizing and providing context for this
activity (Ruth Helyer, 2014).
Practical work in the workplace is crucial for gaining work experience, which plays a significant
role in determining employability; many graduates face challenges in finding their first job due
to the absence of work experience. Therefore, the importance of work experience in determining
employability has increased, leading higher education institutions to seek solutions for the issue
of graduates lacking work experience. Studies indicate that individuals who have prior work
experience are more likely to secure employment quickly in comparison to those who lack work
experience. In this aspect, inexperienced graduates need to search for job ads, fill out
applications, take psychometric tests, attend interviews, and complete a formal evaluation before
being hired for a permanent position. Internships and other forms of work experience programs
are being more widely acknowledged for their impact on the employability of recent graduates.
Although there are various definitions of the term internship, the most widely accepted one can
be found in the literature. Internship is a common term for a work opportunity, whether paid or
unpaid, that allows interns to acquire practical experience to enhance their employability. It
provides students with the chance to learn while working, as shown by those who gained
employability traits through internships or relevant work placements. Similarly, research that
examined the significance of having international work experience discovered a link between
work experience and enhanced job opportunities, career growth, and success (Mseleku, 2022).
2.3: The role of interpersonal skills on employment opportunities
Interpersonal skills refer to an individual's capacity to communicate collaboratively within a
group, whether through spoken or non-verbal means. In the current job market, simply having
technical skills is not enough, so workers must demonstrate their competencies and social skills
to align with the company's culture. Employers frequently look for individuals with excellent
interpersonal abilities to ensure they can excel in team settings and communicate efficiently with
coworkers and clients. Internship is a method through which students can enhance their
interpersonal skills. Internships enable students to develop interpersonal skills that can be
advantageous during job interviews. Moreover, internships provide a way for students to
demonstrate their communication skills with colleagues, supervisors, and clients to prospective
employers. Beard and Morton (1999) found that having strong interpersonal skills is one of the
six key predictors for a successful internship experience according to their study on internship
predictors and field experience outcomes. Therefore, students who are appreciated by employers
and receive fair treatment during internships will enhance their interpersonal skills, leading to
future job opportunities and success in their careers (Chan, J.M., Yeap, J.M., Taahir, A.B.,
*Mohd Remie, 2020).
There is a substantial amount of narrative and anecdotal evidence indicating that communication
and interpersonal skills are seen as essential for achieving success in the workplace. As stated by
Singh (2014), interpersonal communication can be defined as transferring information and
shared understanding between individuals. However, having strong interpersonal skills can assist
in forming positive relationships, resolving disputes, establishing trust, and contributing
effectively within a team. As per a recent study by Hart Research Associates (2015), employers
in private sector and nonprofit organizations who have hired or plan to hire recent college
graduates, value demonstrated competence in communication and interpersonal skills as crucial
for success in various organizational environments. Workers also believe that developing
interpersonal skills is crucial for their professional achievements.
Recent research in economics, such as Heckman and Kautz (2012), has focused on the
importance of "soft skills" like interpersonal skills, as they can forecast an individual's success in
the labor market. Humburg and van der Velden (2015) examine graduate recruitment and
discover that employers base their hiring decisions primarily on interpersonal skills and the
specific skills of the graduates for the job. Girsberger et al. (2018) evaluate the relative
importance of interpersonal skills compared to cognitive or manual skills in job offers,
unemployment, and wages. Based on their research results, cognitive skills were found to be the
main preference of firms over interpersonal skills, although they are highly complementary.
Hoffman and Tadelis (2018) discovered through analyzing personnel records from a big high-
tech company that interpersonal skills have a detrimental impact on employee turnover (Rieti et
al., 2019).
2.3: The role of Social Networking on employment opportunities
A social network can be described as a group of individuals with whom people regularly interact,
potentially shaping their beliefs, choices, and behaviors (Matthew, 2010). Having the chance to
intern at an organization offers interns a significant advantage in securing a job there, especially
if they build strong relationships with colleagues and supervisors. Social networks have become
an essential part of our lives, providing assistance in overcoming challenges more easily. For
instance, at work, there will be numerous tasks and knowledge to acquire; through social
networking, we can receive guidance from more experienced colleagues, enabling us to manage
our responsibilities more easily and reduce the likelihood of mistakes. Internship may serve as a
platform that enables interns to broaden their social network. Once they broaden their social
network, it will significantly enhance their job prospects in their future career journey.(Chan,
J.M., Yeap, J.M., Taahir, A.B., *Mohd Remie, 2020).
If you have ever looked for a job, you have probably heard the phrase: ‘It’s not what you know,
it’s who you know’ referring to the fact that being connected to the ‘right’ person helps in getting
a job. The use of social networks to find a job refers to the informal reliance on people – friends,
family members, acquaintances, employers, or coworkers – to obtain job information, job leads,
and eventually find employment. As the cliche´ suggests, social network use in the job
attainment process is common close to half of all jobs are found through personal contacts.
Furthermore, a reliance on social networks to find a job is efficient; people tend to share job
information through informal, routine conversations, making formal, and sometimes more
expensive job search strategies unnecessary. Despite its popularity, reliance on social networks
for job information and access to jobs is not always beneficial, nor does it help all job seekers in
the same ways. Several new developments in the social capital literature promise to advance our
under- standing of the role social networks play in linking job seekers with jobs (Trimble &
Kmec, 2011).
Significant academic attention has been focused on examining how social networks can
influence important labor market results. The convergence of social networks and job
opportunities is a promising, expanding the field of research. This scholarly focus on social
networks and jobs coincides with an increasing public fascination with these subjects. For
instance, employee referral programs – a prevalent recruiting method within organizations that
leverages the social networks of existing employees to find prospective hires – are seen as an
effective and economical alternative to conventional recruiting (SHRM 2011). People also
appear to be utilizing (or are recommended to utilize) their personal connections to discover new
job prospects. In fact, whether they are employed or not, most individuals believe that personal
networking is the way they will secure their next job. The concept that networks affect
significant employment results has been extensively researched in the scholarly literature. At the
individual level, the configurations of social networks have been linked to the probability of
securing a new job and/or staying employed. Roles within a network framework can influence
the kinds and quality of employment that individuals. Researchers have suggested that among
employees who discovered their employment through social networks, for instance, those who
secured higher quality and better-paying positions utilized higher-status personal connections
more often than connections with lower-status roles.
Likewise, scholars contend that demographic resemblance and network uniformity might steer
specific groups towards low-status employment options (for a review, see Fernandez and Sosa
2005). Research also indicates that social connections play a role beyond job screening and
hiring choices, influencing employee productivity, turnover rates, and opportunities for
promotions and career advancement (Castilla et al., 2013).
These are numerous studies concerning associations such as student internships to work
experience, social networking, interpersonal skills and related job opportunities; however, there
is a geographical gap in Mogadishu, Somalia. This particular gap is crucial considering the
peculiar socio-economic profile of the area which stands as a result of constant recovery and
development. The youth population in the city is quite significant and is fast growing, however,
there are few employment opportunities available. In general, most recent studies pay more focus
to the developed regions and thus there exists limited evidence regarding the relationship
between the local context and internship or work experience as these are relevant to
employability prospects. Understanding these dynamics within the context of Mogadishu is
central to developing appropriate strategies which are responsive to the local job context.
