The role of social experience in undergraduates’ career perceptions through internships

The purpose of this study is to identify the impact that undergraduate students’ internships have on their perceptions of careers in the hospitality and tourism industry, focusing on the moderating role of informal social experiences with co-workers and supervisors that may occur during the internship period. Data for pre-internship expectations and post-internship perceptions were gathered from undergraduate students majoring in hospitality and tourism management in two-year courses in the Seoul metropolitan area, Korea. The results imply that desirable social experiences during students’ internship periods can ultimately lead to a change in students’ perceptions, thereby decreasing negative perceptions regarding various factors relating to a career in the hospitality and tourism industry.