Authors: Gi-Yong Koo, Michael J. Diacin, Jam Khojasteh, Anthony W. Dixon
Sports Management Education Journal, 2016, 10, 29-42.
Key Findings:
- Satisfaction Leads to Commitment: Students who are satisfied with their internships in terms of skill development, meaningful tasks, and networking are more likely to develop a strong affective occupational commitment – an emotional attachment to the sport management profession.
- Influence on Career Pursuit: Satisfaction with internships, mediated by affective occupational commitment, significantly influences students’ intentions to pursue employment in sport management.
- Impact of Networking: Among the factors evaluated, opportunities for building professional networks provided the highest satisfaction, slightly more than skill development and task significance.
- Challenges: Despite overall satisfaction, some students who enjoyed their internships decided against pursuing a career in sport management, often due to concerns about work-life balance and low starting salaries in the field.
- Implications for Internship Programs: Sport management programs should focus on ensuring high-quality internship experiences that align with professional realities to foster long-term commitment in students.
Recommendations:
- Universities should maintain strong relationships with quality internship sites to ensure that students gain valuable skills and professional networks.
- Internship coordinators should assess student satisfaction regularly to identify and address site-specific issues that may affect learning outcomes.
- Recognize your role as an organization in these recommendations.
This study emphasizes the critical role internships play in shaping students’ career intentions and the need for sport management programs to provide enriching, realistic experiences.
The Sports Intern was built to assist not just students on their career journey, but also to empower organizations and Universities to understand their roles in student success.
