This research study by Michael Odio and Brian Menaker appeared in the Sports Innovation Journal, 2023, SI, 152-162.
RESEARCH SUMMARY
The Main Arguments of the Study:
- Imbalance Between Professional and Educational Focus: Internships in sport management tend to prioritize career advancement over educational experiences, neglecting the broader learning opportunities that could benefit student development.
- Concerns Over Access and Equity: Unpaid internships tend to favor wealthier students, putting those who cannot afford to work without pay at a disadvantage.
- Shifts in Career Understanding: Modern careers ebb and flow, involving multiple transitions across sectors. Current internship models do not fully prepare students for this evolving career landscape.
- Student Motivation and Development: Many internships are misaligned with student needs, leading students to conform to industry norms rather than encouraging experimentation and broad skill development.
Recommendations by the Authors:
- Redefine Internship Design: Curricula should prioritize desired learning outcomes over industry norms, offering more flexible internship formats (remote, episodic shadowing) and making internships elective rather than mandatory.
- Expand Learning Focus: Emphasize the development of transferable skills and critical thinking over purely career-focused outcomes. This includes challenging current sport industry norms through experiential learning.
- Reposition Internship Sites as Learning Spaces: Encourage students to use internships as opportunities for experimentation and critique, rather than viewing them solely as career stepping-stones.
Educational Context:
- Historical Context: Internships were initially intended to create a bridge between education and employment in the sports industry. However, their function has become narrowly focused on short-term career gains.
- Liberal vs. Professional Education: The authors argue that internships should integrate a liberal arts approach, fostering broad-based learning alongside practical experience.
This paper advocates for a shift in how sport management internships are structured, promoting a more balanced, inclusive, and educationally rich experience for students.
