Hospitality Management Students’ Challenges, Professional Growth, Workplace Culture Adaptation, and Service Experiences: Basis for an Enhanced Internship

Internship or on-the-job training (OJT) is a core component of Hospitality Management education that exposes students to actual industry practice. This study explored the lived experiences of Hospitality Management students during their internship, focusing primarily on the outcomes and patterns that emerged from their narratives. A qualitative phenomenological research design was employed. Ten Hospitality Management students who had completed internships in various hospitality establishments were selected through purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. Findings revealed five major experiential themes: theory–practice transition difficulty, workplace adaptation strain, professional identity development needs, work ethic and discipline internalization, and service interaction challenges. Participants described internship as a transformative experience that enabled them to apply classroom knowledge in actual hospitality operations while progressively developing professional confidence and competence. Communication skills, teamwork, technical abilities, and emotional regulation were significantly enhanced through repeated workplace exposure. However, students also experienced challenges including fast-paced operational demands, workload pressure, communication barriers, and emotional labor in guest interactions. These difficulties contributed to stress but also fostered resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving skills. Workplace socialization further shaped students’ understanding of hospitality values, discipline, and service excellence. Based on these findings, an evidence-based Enhanced OJT Program is proposed to strengthen internship preparation and support structured skill development through simulation, phased exposure, mentorship, and service competency training.

Hospitality Management, Internship, On-the-Job Training

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