Bridging the Academe and the Industry: A Comprehensive Assessment on Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) Student-Interns’ Actual Industry Experience based on the Assessment of the Host Training Establishment (HTE) Representatives

Bridging the Academe and the Industry: A Comprehensive Assessment on Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) Student-Interns’ Actual Industry Experience based on the Assessment of the Host Training Establishment (HTE) Representatives | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Bridging the Academe and the Industry: A Comprehensive Assessment on Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) Student-Interns’ Actual Industry Experience based on the Assessment of the Host Training Establishment (HTE) Representatives Celso G. Tan This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7000339/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study evaluates the industry readiness and internship performance of Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) student-interns from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) as assessed by Host Training Establishments (HTEs). Utilizing a quantitative research design, the study gathered responses from 67 HTE representatives across public and private sectors, employing descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze perceptions of student skills, preparedness, and program structure. The findings reveal that PUP BS Economics students are highly regarded by HTEs, particularly for their soft skills, such as adaptability, collaboration, work ethic, and time management, with an overall industry readiness rating of 4.45 (“Strongly Agree”). Interns were observed to effectively apply theoretical knowledge in workplace settings, with minimal skill gaps (mean rating of 4.37 or “Strongly Disagree”), although areas for improvement were identified in analytical reasoning, project management, decision-making, and written communication. HTEs reported strong capacities to host interns but highlighted the need for curriculum revisions, especially increasing internship hours and offering the course during regular semesters as a stand-alone subject. No significant differences were found in perceptions of readiness across employer types or sizes, underscoring the consistency of PUP’s academic preparation. The study recommends structural changes in the internship program, enhanced alumni engagement, and strengthened industry-academia collaboration to further align academic training with labor market demands. Internship Assessment Industry Readiness Economics Education Skills Gap Curriculum Development University-Industry Collaboration INTRODUCTION The increasing reliance of the global economy on knowledge-based competencies underscores the necessity for graduates to possess robust, industry-relevant skills. In this regard, internships serve as an essential conduit between academic institutions and the professional realm, offering students invaluable practical exposure to the realities of the workplace. These experiences not only reinforce theoretical knowledge but also cultivate vital skills, including communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and professionalism, the qualities that are vital in the competitive job market. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) internship program, focusing on the actual industry experience of student-interns as evaluated by Host Training Establishment (HTE) representatives. These industry supervisors offer invaluable insights into the preparedness, performance, and potential of student-interns, thus serving as credible sources of feedback regarding the effectiveness of academic training in real-world settings. By emphasizing the perspectives of HTE representatives, the study directly addresses the need to assess not only student learning outcomes but also the degree of alignment between institutional curricula and industry expectations. In the case of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), such as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), which uphold mandates of accessibility, quality, and responsiveness, the challenge of producing industry-ready graduates remains ever-present. Despite curriculum enhancements and outcome-based education reforms, gaps persist between classroom instruction and the demands of dynamic economic sectors. As business landscapes evolve rapidly due to technological advancements, globalization, and policy shifts, higher education institutions must proactively adjust their academic programs. Internships have long been recognized as essential to student development, providing experiential learning that aids in career clarity, employability, and workplace adaptability. Recent studies have broadened the discussion around internships to encompass the role of industry feedback in shaping curriculum design and institutional accountability. Through direct engagement with professional environments, students acquire insights into operational structures, organizational cultures, and sector-specific expectations—making internships a transformative component of higher education. This research is particularly timely and relevant as industries increasingly emphasize job-ready graduates with applied competencies. By examining internship experiences from the perspective of host organizations, this study captures a dimension often underexplored in academic literature: how student-interns perform in actual industry roles and how these performances reflect the adequacy—or inadequacy—of academic preparation. It also considers how HTE feedback can inform and strengthen collaborative frameworks between universities and industry partners, ensuring continuous improvement in program delivery and student outcomes. Grounded in Human Capital Theory, which emphasizes education and training as investments that enhance individual and collective productivity, and Social Learning Theory, which highlights the importance of learning through observation and participation, this research aims to improve the strategic integration of internships into higher education. The results will be valuable to various stakeholders: universities revising curricula, policymakers crafting workforce development initiatives, industry partners hosting interns, and students navigating their transition into professional life. Lastly, this study enhances our understanding of how academic institutions and industry can collaborate effectively to prepare graduates who are not only academically competent but also ready for the workplace. It emphasizes the role of internships as both a testing ground and a developmental platform in cultivating a skilled, competitive, and future-ready workforce. Theoretical Framework This study is grounded in the Theory of Human Capital, which posits that investments in education and training, in the form of learning and skills development, significantly enhance productivity and income. Human capital theory posits that investment in education is essential to acquire skills and training, which in turn will enhance individual capital (Blundell et al., 1999). Additionally, it draws upon Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory, which emphasizes the importance of observational learning, imitation, and modeling in the learning process. Research Objectives The objective of this study is to: (a) determine the extent to which internship experiences contribute to the development of students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes; (b) identify the factors that influence student learning and development during internships; and (c) assess the impact of internships on students' career aspirations and employability. Moreover, to answer these questions: (a) what key learning outcomes and skill development do students acquire through internships? (b) What factors contribute to effective learning and skill development during internships? (c) How do internship experiences influence students' career aspirations and employability? (d) Do students perceive a significant improvement in their skills after completing the internship? and (e) are there significant differences in skill development among students from different academic backgrounds or demographic characteristics? Review of Related Literature and Studies Industry Readiness and Soft Skills Development Host establishments expect interns to demonstrate core soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and adaptability alongside their academic knowledge. Robles ( 2012 ) identified integrity, communication, and adaptability as among the top soft skills desired by employers. These align with the 21st-century competencies outlined by Trilling and Fadel ( 2009 ), including collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. According to the World Economic Forum ( 2020 ), skills like analytical thinking and flexibility will dominate future labor market demands. Similarly, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, 2023) lists communication, leadership, and critical thinking among the top competencies for career readiness. Deming ( 2017 ) emphasized that jobs requiring social interaction are increasingly rewarded, which explains the wage premiums for such skills. These frameworks support the finding that while BS Economics interns from PUP exhibited strong technical knowledge, they sometimes lacked advanced communication and leadership abilities crucial to workplace success. Internship Structure, Onboarding, Supervision, and Monitoring Practices A well-structured internship program significantly enhances the learning outcomes of interns. Kolb’s ( 1984 ) experiential learning theory posits that learning occurs through concrete experiences followed by reflection. Internships serve as an avenue for this learning cycle. Patrick et al. ( 2009 ) emphasized that internships should intentionally integrate academic theory with workplace practice. Effective onboarding, clearly defined roles, and sustained supervision are essential. Narayanan et al. ( 2010 ) argued that supervisor support and task clarity are key drivers of intern engagement and learning. Likewise, Gault, Leach, and Duey ( 2010 ) found that structured internships with mentorship yielded higher employability outcomes. Eyler ( 2009 ) confirmed that experiential learning environments, such as internships, improve student motivation and knowledge application. Furthermore, Weible ( 2010 ) highlighted that institutions with effective monitoring systems often have stronger industry relations and better intern outcomes. These insights reinforce the study’s finding that student-interns performed better when HTEs provided structured onboarding and regular evaluation. Skills Gaps in Economics Students Although student-interns displayed workplace competence, host institutions identified skill gaps in communication, leadership, entrepreneurship, and higher-order thinking. These gaps are consistent with national and international studies. Succi and Canovi ( 2020 ) reported that graduates often lack critical thinking, initiative, and effective communication. According to the World Economic Forum ( 2020 ), analytical reasoning and innovation are essential for future work environments. Similarly, the NACE (2023) report revealed that communication and leadership were among the most lacking competencies in new graduates. Bridgstock ( 2009 ) highlighted that career management skills are often underdeveloped, which limits students’ ability to transition from school to work. In the realm of economics, students may be technically trained but often lack opportunities to develop entrepreneurial thinking and leadership potential during internships, as observed in the current study. Influence of Host Organization Characteristics The structure and size of host organizations play a crucial role in shaping internship experiences. Zegwaard and McCurdy ( 2014 ) found that larger organizations tend to provide more structured programs, often supported by HR departments and mentoring systems. Lippman et al. ( 2015 ) suggested that government institutions offer internships as part of workforce development strategies. Our study confirmed that larger public and private sector organizations provided more consistent supervision and structured onboarding than smaller firms. Smith et al. ( 2019 ) noted that geographic and sectoral disparities can influence access to quality internships, with urban centers offering more opportunities than rural ones. These findings imply that the organizational context—type, size, and location—can significantly affect the effectiveness of internship learning. University–Industry Collaboration and Alumni Networks Sustained partnerships between academia and industry are essential for successful internship programs. Weible ( 2010 ) observed that internships strengthen institutional relationships with the private sector and often lead to more job placements. Jackson ( 2015 ) emphasized the importance of engaging students in multiple communities of practice to enhance their professional identity. The presence of alumni within host organizations serves as a bridge between students and the industry. Our findings showed that PUP graduates influenced the decision of many HTEs to accept student interns, reinforcing the value of alumni networks. Narayanan et al. ( 2010 ) also supported alumni involvement as a strategy to improve mentorship and evaluation. These interactions not only facilitate placement but also enhance the alignment of expectations between academia and industry. Curriculum Alignment and Internship Program Structure Aligning the curriculum with industry needs is essential for reducing skill mismatches. Knight and Yorke ( 2003 ) proposed the USEM model (Understanding, Skills, Efficacy beliefs, and Metacognition) as a framework for embedding employability into the curriculum. Bridgstock ( 2009 ) emphasized that universities must nurture both disciplinary expertise and career management skills. Jackson ( 2016 ) noted that reflection, mentoring, and feedback must be integrated into internship programs to maximize their value. Kolb ( 2014 ) also underscored the importance of structured reflection in experiential learning. Curriculum alignment includes revisiting internship duration and timing as well. Crawford and Wang ( 2015 ) found that longer placements led to improved academic and employment outcomes. The present study supports this claim: HTEs recommended increasing internship hours and suggested offering it as a stand-alone course during the regular semester to prevent academic overload. These findings affirm the need for dynamic curriculum reforms that respond to industry feedback and foster deeper learning during internships. METHODOLOGY This study examines the level of Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) internship programs for PUP BS Economics student-interns, their perceived industry-readiness of student-interns, observed skills gap of student-interns, their capacity and challenges in hosting internship programs, and perception on proposed curriculum revision concerning internship course. Moreover, to determine whether there is a significant difference in the mentioned measures in terms of their experiences during the internship, such as the Type of Employer and the host training establishment’s company size. 1. Research Design, Population, Sampling, and Data Collection This study employs a quantitative research design that utilizes both descriptive and comparative approaches to analyze and examine HTEs' perceived industry readiness of PUP BS Economics student interns, the observed skills gap and application of skills, the challenges and capacity to host internship programs, and perceptions regarding the proposed curriculum revision related to the internship course. Univariate analysis was utilized to describe the characteristics and behaviors of the variables through frequency distributions (Babbie, 2021) and the percentage of respondents who met a given criterion. The research questionnaire was developed and validated by an expert in the field of Economics and approved by the PUP University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) through the issuance of Ethical Clearance. The questionnaire is structured and provides options for responses, such as “yes” or “no.” The population includes 67 representatives and supervisors from various Host Training Establishments (HTEs) across regions and industries in the Philippines. The research instrument was divided into eight (8) parts: (a) company or agency details; (b) student interns’ experiences during the internship; (c) HTEs' perceived industry readiness of student interns; (d) student interns' application of skills during their internship; (e) student interns' skills gap; (f) HTEs' capacity and challenges in hosting internship programs; (g) proposed curriculum revision; and (h) questions about the presence of PUP graduates. 2. Methodology This study employs a quantitative approach to describe student-interns' actual experiences, their industry readiness and skill application, and the curriculum relevance of the PUP BS Economics program from the perspective and observations of Host Training Establishments (HTEs) that accepted student-interns from the PUP BS Economics program. After answering the questionnaire, data were collected, tabulated, and processed using SPSS. Mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentages were utilized for descriptive statistics, while a t-test was applied for inferential statistics at a 0.05 level of significance to derive meaningful analysis from the conducted survey. For interpreting the level of perceived industry readiness, the following scale and description were used as shown in Table 1 : Table 1 Scale Description and Interpretation for HTEs Level of Perceived Industry-readiness of PUP Student-interns Scale Description Interpretation 1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree The intern did not demonstrate industry-readiness at all 1.81–2.60 Disagree The intern showed limited readiness and required close supervision 2.61–3.40 Neutral The intern met minimum expectations but showed 3.41–4.20 Agree The intern showed readiness and did not require close supervision 4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree The intern demonstrates high industry-readiness For the level of HTEs' perceived application of skills during the internship, the following scale and description were used as shown in Table 2 : Table 2 Scale Description and Interpretation for HTEs' Level of Perceived Application of Skills of PUP Student-interns During Internship Scale Description Interpretation 1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree The intern did not demonstrate this skill at all 1.81–2.60 Disagree The intern rarely demonstrated this skill effectively 2.61–3.40 Neutral The intern sometimes demonstrated this skill 3.41–4.20 Agree The intern often demonstrated this skill effectively 4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree The intern consistently demonstrated this skill with confidence and competence For the level of HTEs' perception on student-interns’ skills gap, the following scale and description were used as shown in Table 3 : Table 3 Scale Description and Interpretation for HTEs Level of Perceived Skills Gap of PUP BS Economics Student-interns Scale Description Interpretation 1.00-1.80 Strongly Agree There is a significant skills gap, and immediate improvement is needed 1.81–2.60 Agree There is a notable skills gap, improvement is important 2.61–3.40 Neutral There is some gap, but it is not critical 3.41–4.20 Disagree There is minimal skills gap, only slight improvement is needed 4.21-5.00 Strongly Disagree There is no skills gap, and improvement in this skill is not needed For the HTEs' capacity to host an internship, the following scale and description were used as shown in Table 4 : Table 4 Scale Description of HTEs' Capacity to Host Internship Scale Description 1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree 1.81–2.60 Disagree 2.61–3.40 Neutral 3.41–4.20 Agree 4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 5 below presents the profiles of the Host Training Establishments (HTEs). A significant portion of HTEs (65.7%) were public or government institutions, while 34.3% were private entities or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). This distribution indicates a strong dependence on government institutions for providing internship opportunities. Government agencies may be more likely to offer internship programs due to mandates for capacity building and fulfilling public service missions. Lippman et al ( 2015 ) stated that public institutions often engage in educational programs to meet long-term workforce planning goals. The table also revealed that most host establishments (74.6%) employ more than 200 individuals, indicating a predominance of large organizations in internship hosting. Only 4.5% were small enterprises with fewer than 10 employees. This trend confirms the study of Zegwaard and McCurdy ( 2014 ), who stated that larger organizations typically have more resources and formal structures to support internships, including dedicated HR and training departments. Table 5 Profiling of Host Training Establishments Profile of Host Training Establishments Categories Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Type of Company/Agency Private/NGO 23 34.3 34.3 34.3 Public/Government 44 65.7 65.7 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Company/Agency Size 1 to 9 employees 3 4.5 4.5 4.5 10 to 99 employees 10 14.9 14.9 19.4 100 to 199 employees 4 6.0 6.0 25.4 200 employees and above 50 74.6 74.6 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Regional Location NCR First District (Manila City) 10 14.9 14.9 14.9 NCR Fourth District (Las Pinas, Makati, Pateros, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Taguig, Pasay) 28 41.8 41.8 56.7 NCR Second District (Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Quezon City, San Juan) 22 32.8 32.8 89.6 NCR Third District (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) 1 1.5 1.5 91.0 Region 3 - Central Luzon 5 7.5 7.5 98.5 Region 4A - CALABARZON 1 1.5 1.5 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Location Area Type Rural 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Urban 67 100.0 100.0 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Type of Industry Banking and Finance 20 29.9 29.9 29.9 Government Agencies and Instrumentalities 29 43.3 43.3 73.1 Retail Services 7 10.4 10.4 83.6 Health & Pharmaceutical Industry 7 10.4 10.4 94.0 Information Technology 2 3.0 3.0 97.0 Utility Services 1 1.5 1.5 98.5 Education 1 1.5 1.5 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Adequacy of physical facilities to provide internship programs No 1 1.5 1.5 1.5 Yes 66 98.5 98.5 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Most HTEs are concentrated in the NCR Fourth District (41.8%) and NCR Second District (32.8%). In contrast, Region 4A and the NCR Third District had the fewest participating establishments (1.5% each). This highlights a geographical disparity in internship opportunities, largely due to urbanized and economically developed districts. Similarly, Smith et al. ( 2019 ) found that access to internship programs is often unevenly distributed, favoring areas with greater industrial and service-sector presence. Additionally, all 67 establishments (100%) were located in urban areas. This uniformity reveals a lack of internship hosting in rural regions, possibly due to limited business activities or infrastructure, as well as other external factors. According to Azman et al. (2018), urban-centric internship opportunities may exacerbate inequalities in access for students from rural areas, who may face financial and logistical barriers to participation. In terms of industry representation, the most prominent sector was Government Agencies (43.3%), followed by Banking and Finance (29.9%). Less representation was observed in IT (3.0%), Utilities (1.5%), and Education (1.5%). This reflects the structure of the Philippine urban economy, where government and financial services serve as major employers. It also indicates a potential mismatch between internship opportunities and emerging sectors like IT, which may impede alignment with future job market demands (Crawford and Wang, 2015 ). The majority (98.5%) of HTEs reported having adequate physical facilities to support internship programs. This suggests that most participating organizations are prepared to provide a conducive environment for experiential education. As noted by Jackson ( 2016 ), facility adequacy plays a critical role in student satisfaction and learning outcomes during internships. Regarding the pre-internship and onboarding activities conducted, Table 6 indicates that 91% of the HTEs offered purely on-site internships. In comparison, 9% offered a hybrid model, which combines online, work-from-home, and on-site internship training. This finding highlights the ongoing challenge of digital transformation in experiential learning. Although hybrid or remote internships became more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic (Gamage et al., 2020), many organizations seem to have returned to on-site practices. This could be attributed to perceived effectiveness, ease of supervision, or limited technological infrastructure. In addition, a large portion (92.5%) of HTEs discuss their VMGOs with interns, which is essential for aligning interns’ understanding of the company’s direction and values. Moreover, almost all HTEs (97.0%) conducted orientations on their organizational structure. This step supports role clarity, helps interns understand reporting relationships, and enhances workplace integration. According to Narayanan et al. ( 2010 ), interns' understanding of organizational goals significantly enhances motivation and integration into the workplace, thereby improving internship outcomes. This is also consistent with the findings of Eyler ( 2009 ), who emphasized that structured onboarding activities, including organizational orientation, correlate with better intern engagement and task performance. Table 6 Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Pre-internship and Onboarding Activities Pre-internship and Onboarding Activities Categories Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Job Arrangement Hybrid (Alternate online or work-from-home and on-site) 6 9.0 9.0 9.0 Purely on-site 61 91.0 91.0 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Discussion about the Mission, Vision, Goals, and Objectives of the Company/Agency No 5 7.5 7.5 7.5 Yes 62 92.5 92.5 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Orientation about the Organizational Structure of the Company/Agency No 2 3.0 3.0 3.0 Yes 65 97.0 97.0 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Discussion about the Expected Learning Outcomes before the Internship began No 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Yes 67 100.0 100.0 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 100.0 Assigning of personnel to Supervise the Interns No 4 6.0 6.0 6.0 Yes 63 94.0 94.0 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Additionally, all establishments (100%) discussed their expected learning outcomes before the internship. This level of consistency indicates strong adherence to academic-industry alignment practices and principles of experiential learning. Furthermore, most HTEs (94.0%) assigned supervisors to guide student-interns, demonstrating a commitment to mentorship and quality training delivery. According to Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (1984), clarity in expected outcomes fosters meaningful reflection and knowledge application during fieldwork, while supervision is a critical component of internship quality. As noted by Weible ( 2010 ), the presence of an engaged supervisor positively influences intern satisfaction, skill acquisition, and overall internship success. Table 7 illustrates how HTEs conduct monitoring activities for students and the frequency at which these activities are carried out. All HTEs (100%) reported that they review student interns and discuss their performance with them. This total compliance strongly indicates structured internship programs that prioritize feedback and accountability. Weible ( 2010 ) emphasized that regular evaluation and feedback are essential for the personal and professional development of interns, enhancing both their performance and workplace integration. However, nearly half of the HTEs only conduct evaluations at the end, indicating that while evaluation is universally practiced, formative feedback through ongoing evaluation is limited. According to Gault et al. ( 2010 ), timely and continuous feedback ( formative assessment ) allows interns to adjust and improve their performance throughout the internship, rather than only learning from final summative assessments. Table 7 Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Monitoring Activities Statements about Monitoring of Student-Interns Categories Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Have you evaluated your student-interns in terms of their work and discuss it with them? No 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Yes 67 100.0 100.0 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 100.0 How often do you evaluate their work and discuss it with them? Daily 10 14.9 14.9 14.9 Monthly 2 3.0 3.0 17.9 On time at the end of the internship program 32 47.8 47.8 65.7 Weekly 23 34.3 34.3 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Do you have a regular office/unit/group meeting? No 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Yes 67 100.0 100.0 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 100.0 How frequent is your conduct of office/unit/group meetings? Daily 4 6.0 6.0 6.0 Once a month 28 41.8 41.8 47.8 Twice a month 13 19.4 19.4 67.2 Twice a week 4 6.0 6.0 73.1 Weekly 18 26.9 26.9 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Additionally, all 67 HTEs reported having regular office, unit, or group meetings, which indicates a structured communication culture within the organizations. Most meetings occur monthly or weekly, suggesting that interns may have moderate but consistent access to team communication and developmental discussions. Regular team meetings support organizational cohesion and facilitate intern participation in the workplace. Jackson ( 2015 ) emphasized that the inclusion of formal and informal meetings enhances interns' understanding of team dynamics and improves soft skills like communication and collaboration. Table 8 shows the HTEs’ perceived industry readiness of BS Economics student interns. The overall mean rating of 4.45 falls within the "Strongly Agree" interpretation range, indicating that host training establishments perceive PUP BS Economics student interns as highly prepared for the industry’s demands. The competencies with the highest ratings were adaptability and willingness to learn (4.79), collaboration (4.69), work ethic and role commitment (4.66), good time management and organizational skills (4.55), and exhibiting high ethical standards in their work (4.46). These reflect a strong foundation in soft skills, which are crucial for career success. Robles ( 2012 ) identifies soft skills such as integrity, communication, and adaptability as "top employability skills" that employers value over technical proficiency in many cases. The findings suggest that the university is effectively enhancing these competencies. On the other hand, the competencies with the lowest ratings that are still positive include communication and interpersonal skills (4.31), entrepreneurial mindset and skills (4.25), leadership potential (4.27), and industry trend knowledge (4.30). These areas could benefit from increased exposure and development. Leadership and entrepreneurship are commonly cited as 21st-century skills (Trilling & Fadel, 2009 ), which are essential in a fast-evolving economic environment. Although these traits are not rated as highly, they may indicate that students lack sufficient exposure to real decision-making roles or entrepreneurial thinking during the internship. While these competencies still fall within the “Strongly Agree” range, they highlight the need for targeted curriculum or internship activities that more explicitly address these areas, such as project-based learning or participation in strategic discussions. Table 8 Perceived Industry Readiness of PUP BS Economics Students Industry Readiness Statements N Min Max Std. Deviation Mean Statistical Interpretation BS Economics student-interns demonstrate adaptability and a willingness to learn new skills. 67 1 5 .591 4.79 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns are able to work collaboratively in teams. 67 1 5 .633 4.69 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns exhibit a strong work ethic and commitment to their roles. 67 1 5 .664 4.66 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns exhibit good time management and organizational skills. 67 1 5 .763 4.57 Strongly Agree Overall, BS Economics student-interns are well-prepared for the workforce. 67 1 5 .702 4.55 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns exhibit high ethical standards in their work. 67 1 5 .725 4.46 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns possess the necessary technical skills required for their roles. 67 1 5 .701 4.43 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns can effectively apply theoretical knowledge to practical work situations. 67 1 5 .756 4.37 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns possess effective marketing and self-promotion skills. 67 1 5 .829 4.36 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns demonstrate problem-solving and decision-making abilities. 67 1 5 .746 4.33 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns demonstrate awareness of the challenges and opportunities in the industry. 67 1 5 .766 4.33 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills. 67 1 5 .783 4.31 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns possess sufficient knowledge of industry trends and developments. 67 1 5 .921 4.30 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns demonstrate leadership potential. 67 1 5 .790 4.27 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns exhibit entrepreneurial mindset and skills. 67 1 5 .859 4.25 Strongly Agree Perceived Industry Readiness 4.45 Strongly Agree Interpretation: 1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree (The intern did not demonstrate industry-readiness at all) 1.81–2.60 Disagree (The intern showed limited readiness and required close supervision) 2.61–3.40 Neutral (The intern met minimum expectations but showed) 3.41–4.20 Agree (I feel mostly prepared for industry expectations) 4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree (I feel fully confident and industry-ready) Table 9 presents the application of skills observed in BS Economics student-interns as perceived by the HTEs. The average mean score for the observed application of skills among BS Economics student-interns is 4.44, interpreted as "Strongly Agree," indicating that host training establishments (HTEs) view the student-interns as consistently demonstrating the necessary workplace skills with competence and confidence during their internship. The competencies with the highest ratings were adaptability and willingness to learn (4.79), team collaboration (4.69), work ethic and commitment (4.66), and effective time management and organizational skills (4.57). These skills align with what the World Economic Forum ( 2020 ) identifies as the best future-ready skills, emphasizing flexibility, cooperation, and self-management. Employers now prioritize such soft skills even more than technical ones, particularly in dynamic work environments (Deming, 2017 ). Moreover, the competencies with lower ratings exhibited an entrepreneurial mindset and skills (4.25), demonstrated leadership potential (4.27), displayed sufficient knowledge of industry trends (4.30), and showed strong communication and interpersonal skills (4.31). These results also support previous findings and highlight areas where students may lack leadership responsibilities or opportunities for entrepreneurial problem-solving. This also reflects research by Jackson and Wilton (2016), who argued that internships often require leadership and innovation tasks due to hierarchical workplace limitations. To further strengthen the application of theoretical knowledge, internship programs could adopt and enhance structured reflection, such as using a learning journal and conducting faculty-industry collaborations to contextualize academic content (Kolb, 2014 ). Table 9 Observed Student-Interns' Application of Skills during Internship Statements on Application of Skills N Min Max Std. Deviation Mean Statistical Interpretation BS Economics student-interns demonstrate adaptability and a willingness to learn new skills. 67 1 5 .591 4.79 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns are able to work collaboratively in teams. 67 1 5 .633 4.69 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns exhibit a strong work ethic and commitment to their roles. 67 1 5 .664 4.66 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns exhibit good time management and organizational skills. 67 1 5 .763 4.57 Strongly Agree Overall, BS Economics student-interns are well-prepared for the workforce. 67 1 5 .702 4.55 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns exhibit high ethical standards in their work. 67 1 5 .725 4.46 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns possess the necessary technical skills required for their roles. 67 1 5 .701 4.43 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns can effectively apply theoretical knowledge to practical work situations. 67 1 5 .756 4.37 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns possess effective marketing and self-promotion skills. 67 1 5 .829 4.36 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns demonstrate problem-solving and decision-making abilities. 67 1 5 .746 4.33 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns demonstrate awareness of the challenges and opportunities in the industry. 67 1 5 .766 4.33 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills. 67 1 5 .783 4.31 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns possess sufficient knowledge of industry trends and developments. 67 1 5 .921 4.30 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns demonstrate leadership potential. 67 1 5 .790 4.27 Strongly Agree BS Economics student-interns exhibit entrepreneurial mindset and skills. 67 1 5 .859 4.25 Strongly Agree Application of Skills 4.44 Strongly Agree Interpretation: 1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree (The intern did not demonstrate this skill at all) 1.81–2.60 Disagree (The intern rarely demonstrated this skill effectively) 2.61–3.40 Neutral (The intern sometimes demonstrated this skill) 3.41–4.20 Agree (The intern often demonstrated this skill effectively) 4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree (The intern consistently demonstrated this skill with confidence and competence) Table 10 shows the mean score of PUP BS Economics student-interns' skills gap as observed by the Host Training Establishments (HTEs). The overall score for the Skills Gap is 4.366, interpreted as "Strongly Disagree," indicating that host training establishments (HTEs) perceive minimal to no skills gaps among the BS Economics students. This reinforces previous findings on strong industry readiness and effective skills application. The competencies with the highest scores are teamwork and collaboration (4.67), professionalism (4.57), meeting deadlines (4.52), and adaptability (4.49). These skills reflect a high level of professionalism, which is essential in today's collaborative and deadline-driven work environments. According to Succi & Canovi ( 2020 ), employers often value soft skills such as teamwork and reliability above purely technical skills. Meanwhile, competencies with relatively lower scores suggest areas for improvement, including project management skills (4.07), analytical skills (4.18), decision-making skills (4.18), data analysis and interpretation skills (4.22), research skills (4.24), and written communication skills (4.24). These are essential cognitive and technical skills needed for economics professionals, particularly in the areas of policy analysis, economic forecasting, and market research. The lower mean scores suggest that while student-interns perform adequately, greater depth or independence may be expected. This is consistent with industry reports such as the NACE 2023 Report, which identify data literacy, research competency, and problem-solving as common areas where graduates require further development. Table 10 Skills Gap of Student-Interns List of Skills N Min Max Std. Deviation Mean Statistical Interpretation Project management skills 67 3 5 .765 4.07 Disagree Analytical skills 67 2 5 .815 4.18 Disagree Decision-making skills 67 2 5 .796 4.18 Disagree Data analysis and interpretation skills 67 2 5 .832 4.22 Strongly Disagree Written communication skills 67 2 5 .780 4.24 Strongly Disagree Research skills 67 2 5 .818 4.24 Strongly Disagree Presentation skills 67 3 5 .790 4.27 Strongly Disagree Verbal communication skills 67 3 5 .739 4.30 Strongly Disagree Creativity and innovation 67 2 5 .824 4.33 Strongly Disagree Proficiency in relevant software 67 2 5 .778 4.39 Strongly Disagree Initiative 67 2 5 .722 4.43 Strongly Disagree Prioritization skills 67 2 5 .682 4.46 Strongly Disagree Task management skills 67 2 5 .682 4.46 Strongly Disagree Adaptability 67 3 5 .612 4.49 Strongly Disagree Meeting deadlines 67 2 5 .660 4.52 Strongly Disagree Active listening skills 67 3 5 .529 4.57 Strongly Disagree Professionalism 67 3 5 .529 4.57 Strongly Disagree Teamwork and collaboration 67 3 5 .561 4.67 Strongly Disagree Skills Gap 4.366 Strongly Disagree Interpretation: 1.00-1.80 Strongly Agree (There is a significant skills gap, and immediate improvement is needed) 1.81–2.60 Agree (There is a notable skills gap, improvement is important) 2.61–3.40 Neutral (There is some gap, but it is not critical) 3.41–4.20 Disagree (There is minimal skills gap, only slight improvement is needed) 4.21-5.00 Strongly Disagree (There is no skills gap, and improvement in this skill is not needed) Table 11 shows a high level of capacity and strong institutional readiness among Host Training Establishments (HTEs) to host BS Economics student-interns from PUP. The overall mean ratings lean strongly toward agreement or strong agreement with positive capacity indicators, while potential challenges are rated mostly neutral or disagree, suggesting they are manageable and not severe constraints. HTEs strongly agree that they have adequate personnel to supervise interns (4.63), had clear expectations and guidelines for interns (4.63), supportive environment for interns (4.58), sufficient resources for internship (4.48), structured internship program in place, and that access to a qualified pool of interns is advantageous to HTEs (4.33). The results indicate that HTEs possess the necessary infrastructure and human resources for effective internship implementation but also maintain positive attitudes and systems for internship integration into their organizational structure. Table 11 Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Capacity to Host Internship Statements on Capacity to Host Internship N Min Max Std. Deviation Mean Statistical Interpretation Evaluating intern performance is time-consuming. 67 1 5 1.255 2.30 Disagree Coordinating with academic institutions for internship placements is difficult. 67 1 5 1.363 2.54 Disagree We face difficulties in finding relevant projects for interns. 67 1 5 1.312 2.63 Neutral/Undecided We require additional training for supervisors on mentoring interns. 67 1 5 1.250 2.73 Neutral/Undecided Balancing regular work operations with internship responsibilities is challenging. 67 1 5 1.323 2.91 Neutral/Undecided Providing appropriate compensation or stipends to interns is a challenge. 67 1 5 1.415 3.24 Neutral/Undecided We need more guidance on curriculum alignment for internship programs. 67 1 5 1.191 3.28 Neutral/Undecided Financial support for internship programs would be beneficial. 67 1 5 1.220 3.76 Agree Collaboration with other companies for internship programs would be helpful. 67 1 5 1.118 3.85 Agree Access to a pool of qualified interns would be advantageous. 67 3 5 .637 4.33 Strongly Agree Our company has a structured internship program in place. 67 2 5 .868 4.37 Strongly Agree Our company has sufficient resources allocated for internship programs. 67 3 5 .560 4.48 Strongly Agree Our company provides a supportive environment for interns. 67 4 5 .497 4.58 Strongly Agree We have adequate personnel to supervise and mentor interns. 67 3 5 .517 4.63 Strongly Agree We have clear expectations and guidelines for interns. 67 2 5 .573 4.63 Strongly Agree Interpretation: 1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree 1.81–2.60 Disagree 2.61–3.40 Neutral (Undecided) 3.41–4.20 Agree 4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree Meanwhile, they express neutrality in various statements, including difficulty finding relevant projects for interns (2.63), a need for additional training for supervisors (2.73), experiences of difficulties in balancing internship duties with regular operations (2.91), challenges in providing compensation (3.24), and a need for better guidance on curriculum alignment (3.28). These findings support challenges cited in existing internship literature, such as Jackson ( 2015 ), who noted that mentoring capacity, meaningful task assignment, and role clarity are common concerns for internship hosts. While these challenges are not critical barriers, they provide opportunities for support through policy, training, and collaboration with the university. The rating of 3.28 for curriculum alignment guidance indicates that HTEs are open to more structured collaboration with academic institutions, suggesting that regular industry-academe consultations could address this issue. Furthermore, the HTEs disagreed that evaluating interns is time-consuming (2.30) and that they experienced difficulties in coordinating with the University/School (2.54). These low scores suggest that HTEs do not view internship coordination or evaluation as difficult, indicating effective communication channels with the university and a well-established evaluation framework. Another table below shows how HTE representatives perceive the potential changes to the internship course offerings for PUP BS Economics students. This indicates that 80.6% of the HTEs believe the internship course should be offered during the regular semester. Stakeholders feel that integrating internships more meaningfully into the academic calendar and curriculum can enhance the quality of student learning and industry engagement. With 47.8% recommending more than 300 hours and 31.3% recommending 300 hours, only 16.4% believe that 200 hours is sufficient. This suggests that most HTEs view the current duration as too short to ensure deep skill development, significant contributions, and professional readiness. The data also highlights logistical and pedagogical issues, as 82.1% agreed that the internship should be a stand-alone course. This implies that concurrent academic demands may currently hinder students' focus and performance during internships. HTEs strongly support curricular changes to the BS Economics internship program. These include offering it exclusively within a semester, increasing the number of hours beyond 200, and aligning internship periods with the regular academic calendar. Such revisions would better prepare students for industry requirements and allow HTEs to integrate interns more meaningfully into their operations. Table 12 Perception on the Possible Changes in the Offering of the Internship Course for BS Economics Students Survey Questions Categories Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Do you agree that the internship course must be taken during regular semesters (First Semester & Second Semester)? No 13 19.4 19.4 19.4 Yes 54 80.6 80.6 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Do you believe that the 200-hour requirement of internship course must be increased? No 11 16.4 16.4 16.4 Yes 56 83.6 83.6 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 What is the ideal number of hours to ensure student-interns' learning and skill development during internship? 200 hours 11 16.4 16.4 16.4 250 hours 3 4.5 4.5 20.9 300 hours 21 31.3 31.3 52.2 More than 300 hours 32 47.8 47.8 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Do you agree that the internship program course shall be offered solely for a semester to avoid conflicts with other academic courses? No 12 17.9 17.9 17.9 Yes 55 82.1 82.1 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Table 13 presents data on the presence of PUP alumni across the Host Training Establishments (HTEs). It reveals that 77.6% of the HTEs agreed they know someone from their organization who is a graduate of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. This suggests that PUP alumni are well-integrated within host establishments. It also reflects positively on the employability and professional reputation of PUP graduates. Meanwhile, 62.7% of them agreed that the presence of PUP alumni in their organizations influenced their decision to accept and host student-interns from the university. This indicates that alumni can serve as internal advocates or mentors, fostering a culture of trust and understanding of PUP's training standards. It also implies that alumni can be a significant networking bridge for current students entering the workforce. Given these results, the university could formalize an alumni-in-industry network to strengthen internship pipelines, where alumni can recommend or refer current students to apply for internships or job positions in their organizations, serve as supervisors, mentors, or evaluators, and provide feedback to improve academic-industry alignment. The presence of PUP alumni in host organizations is both widespread and influential. Their positive impact on internship acceptance decisions underscores the importance of fostering strong alumni relations; leveraging alumni networks could significantly enhance internship placements, mentorship, and overall industry partnerships for PUP. Table 13 Presence of PUP Alumni in the Host Training Establishments Survey Questions Categories Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent Do you know someone from your company who is a graduate or an alumnus of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines? No 15 22.4 22.4 22.4 Yes 52 77.6 77.6 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Does the presence of PUP Graduates in your company influence your decision to accept student-interns from PUP? No 25 37.3 37.3 37.3 Yes 42 62.7 62.7 100.0 Total 67 100.0 100.0 Table 14 indicates that there is no significant difference in the HTEs' perceived industry readiness of PUP BS Economics students when grouped by type of employer (p > 0.05) and company size (p > 0.05). The mean values across all categories, ranging from 4.26 to 4.42, fall within the interpretation scale of "Strongly Agree," suggesting a high and consistent perception of readiness among student-interns, regardless of employer type or size. Table 14 Test of Difference in the Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Perceived Industry Readiness of BS Economics Students when grouped according to Type of Employer and Host Training Establishments’ Company Size Categories Mean df t-value Prob. (2-tailed) Statistical Interpretation Type of Employer Public/Government 4.43 65 -0.327 0.745 No significant difference Private/NGO 4.48 Company Size 1-199 Employees 4.44 65 -0.012 0.991 No significant difference 200 Employees and above 4.45 This suggests that PUP BS Economics students are perceived to be well-prepared for the industry across various organizational contexts. Additionally, it reflects the strength and standardization of the academic preparation and internship coordination provided by the university and implies that the PUP BS Economics program effectively develops competencies recognized across sectors and company sizes. Since both small and large companies perceive students similarly, internship placements can be diversified across organizations of different scales without concerns about readiness mismatch. Therefore, internship coordinators can focus more on field relevance and mentoring quality rather than employer size. Moreover, the consistency across company sizes supports the study by Silva et al (2016), who stated that employer satisfaction with interns is generally unaffected by organizational size but is more influenced by student adaptability, initiative, and communication. Table 15 presents the HTEs' observed application of skills of BS Economics student-interns categorized by type of employer and company size. The findings indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in the observed application of skills when sorted by type of employer (p > 0.05) and company size (p > 0.05). All mean values are notably high, ranging from 4.41 to 4.48, and fall within the scale of "Strongly Agree," suggesting that most HTEs, irrespective of category, consistently observe a strong application of employment skills among the student-interns. Table 15 Test of Difference in the Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Observed Application of Skills of BS Economics Students when grouped according to Type of Employer and Host Training Establishments’ Company Size Categories Mean df t-value Prob. (2-tailed) Statistical Interpretation Type of Employer Public/Government 4.46 65 -0.025 0.980 No significant difference Private/NGO 4.47 Company Size 1-199 Employees 4.41 65 -0.391 0.697 No significant difference 200 Employees and above 4.48 The absence of significant differences suggests that student-interns' ability to apply skills is consistent across various workplace settings. This indicates a level of flexibility and adaptability in their competencies, enabling them to perform effectively in the public, private, or NGO sectors. Knight and Yorke (2004) argue that employability is not just about possessing skills but about being able to demonstrate and apply them in different contexts, which appears to be a strength of the PUP BS Economics students. Table 16 presents the perceived skills gap of PUP BS Economics student-interns as observed by Host Training Establishments (HTEs). This indicates that there is no significant difference in the perceived skills gap of student-interns when categorized by type of employer (p > 0.05) and company size (p > 0.05). Table 16 Test of Difference in the Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Observed Skills Gap of BS Economics Students when grouped according to Type of Employer and Host Training Establishments’ Company Size Categories Mean df t-value Prob. (2-tailed) Statistical Interpretation Type of Employer Public/Government 4.42 65 1.027 0.161 No significant difference Private/NGO 4.26 Company Size 1-199 Employees 4.32 65 -0.335 0.739 No significant difference 200 Employees and above 4.38 Given the mean score ranging from 4.26 to 4.42, the HTEs "Strongly Disagree" that there is a skills gap, implying that respondents believe student-interns are sufficiently skilled in the areas assessed. The consistently high ratings indicate that student-interns meet or exceed expectations, regardless of whether the host is a government agency, an NGO, or a large corporation. This reinforces the idea that the perceived skills gap is minimal or non-existent across the sector. Despite variations in organizational structures and cultures, employers do not perceive a significant gap in key skills such as communication, data analysis, or professionalism, which were typically flagged in graduate employment studies (Yorke, 2006). The findings align with Bridgstock ( 2009 ), who emphasized the importance of "career management competencies" that enable students to be adaptable across sectors. Additionally, Knight and Yorke ( 2003 ) argue that where skill gaps exist, they can often be mitigated by structured experiential learning, such as internships. These results suggest that the combination of coursework and practical exposure has effectively eliminated the anticipated gap. Table 17 shows that there is no significant difference in HTEs' capacity to host internships when grouped by type of employer (0.629) and company size (0.747). Mean scores across all groups range from 3.57 to 3.64 and can be interpreted as generally “Agree,” indicating moderate to strong perceived capacity among the respondents. This implies that both public and private institutions, regardless of size, are capable of hosting interns. With average ratings suggesting agreement, host establishments generally believe they possess sufficient resources, such as clear guidelines, mentoring personnel, and supportive environments, for productive internships. This aligns with Coll & Zegwaard (2011), who stress the importance of organizational readiness in the success of work-integrated learning. Table 17 Test of Difference in the Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Capacity to Host Internship when grouped according to Type of Employer and Host Training Establishments’ Company Size Categories Mean df t-value Prob. (2-tailed) Statistical Interpretation Type of Employer Public/Government 3.64 65 0.486 0.629 No significant difference Private/NGO 3.57 Company Size 1-199 Employees 3.58 65 -0.324 0.747 No significant difference 200 Employees and above 3.63 Additionally, since neither the type nor the size of the institution significantly affects capacity, this suggests that reorganizing the internship program or diversifying host organizations is a viable strategy. Even smaller government units seem capable of accommodating interns just like large corporations. Patrick et al ( 2009 ) argue that the success of internship programs depends more on the presence of structured internship policies and institutional commitment than on the size or sector of the organization. Furthermore, Smith, Ferns, and Russell (2016) found that small and medium enterprises (SMEs), when adequately supported, can offer equally enriching learning environments compared to larger corporations. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the results and discussion above, the researcher concludes that: The Bachelor of Science in Economics program at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) shows a high degree of alignment with industry standards, with students demonstrating strong overall readiness for the industry, as reflected in the composite rating of 4.45 ("Strongly Agree"). Host Training Establishments (HTEs) consistently commended student interns for their strong soft skills, especially in adaptability, collaboration, work ethic, and time management. The students demonstrated commendable capacity to translate theoretical knowledge into professional practice, performing effectively in teamwork and displaying professionalism, with a mean performance rating of 4.44. Skills gaps were minimal and primarily limited to higher-order competencies, including analytical reasoning, project management, decision-making, and professional writing, areas that received a mean rating of 4.37, indicating limited concern (“Strongly Disagree”). HTEs demonstrated readiness and capability to support internships through adequate supervision, resource availability, and structured training systems. Reported challenges were generally minimal and manageable. The current internship framework requires recalibration. Notably, HTEs recommended that the internship be offered as a dedicated course during the regular academic semester, with an extended minimum duration of 300 hours to enhance the depth of industry exposure. No statistically significant variation in internship outcomes was identified across HTE classifications, such as by size or type, indicating that program effectiveness is broadly consistent and scalable. The presence of alumni within HTEs facilitates access to internship placements and improves the quality of mentorship, thereby strengthening linkages between the academic institution and industry. Based on the conclusions, the following recommendations are made: Reconfigure the internship program into a stand-alone, semester-long academic course with a minimum requirement of 300 internship hours. This modification should align with industry partners and international best practices in experiential learning. To address identified skills gaps, the Department of Economics should incorporate project-based learning, case analysis, and industry-based problem-solving exercises into the curriculum. Additional coursework in data analytics, research methodology, and professional writing should be included to enhance competencies in analytical thinking, project management, and evidence-based decision-making. Foster deeper collaboration with HTEs through established consultation mechanisms, active involvement of HTE supervisors in internship planning and evaluation, and formal feedback loops. The establishment of a PUP Economics Alumni Mentorship Program is also recommended to leverage alumni expertise in student career development, peer mentoring, and industry engagement. Provide structured training for HTE supervisors to enhance their mentoring capacity and ensure consistency in internship outcomes. A University-Industry Internship Handbook should be created to standardize expectations, clarify roles, and facilitate seamless communication between stakeholders. Broaden internship placements to include emerging and interdisciplinary fields such as data science, technology, policy research, and consulting. To promote equity and access, particularly for students who are geographically or economically disadvantaged, the University should consider hybrid and remote internship models. Integrate structured reflection into the internship framework by requiring learning journals and reflective essays. HTEs should be encouraged to provide ongoing feedback throughout the internship, promoting continuous learning and development, rather than relying solely on end-of-term evaluations. Declarations Competing Interest: The author hereby declares that the Polytechnic University of the Philippines has authorized the author to conduct this study during official hours as part of the research load and that the University provides technical funding for it. Ethical Conduct of Research: Ethics clearance was obtained through the University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), where the instruments, including the informed consent form, were validated for use with human participants. The informed consent form was obtained from participants before they registered their survey responses. Moreover, the collection of data involving human participants was performed per Executive No. 08, series of 2025 of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and the 2022 National Ethical Guidelines of the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB). The Polytechnic University of the Philippines is an accredited institution of the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB). Availability of Data and Material: The research instrument and datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. 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Tan","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNACHgY5CIMNiCUIKmcGazEmVQsDQ2ID0Vr4+9cf/Fwgcy99u0TuAYYPZYcZzKUb8GuRuPGYWXoGT3Huzhl5CYwzzh1msJxzAL8WA4nDDNI8PAm5G27kGDDzth1mMLiRQFAL82+glnQDkJa/RGnhb2YD2ZIA1sJIjBaJG8xm1kAthjt73iUc7DmXzmM5g4AW/v6Dj2/z9iTIm7PnHnzwo8xazlyCgBYGkALGHqALgfF5AMjnMSCgAWgNSN0PiBaI7whqGQWjYBSMgpEGAK5kP859DM66AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Polytechnic University of the Philippines","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Celso","middleName":"G.","lastName":"Tan","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-06-29 02:53:09","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7000339/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7000339/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":95193807,"identity":"4928db81-14e9-4407-92fe-559ecf67c5ca","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-05 10:54:39","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2613245,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7000339/v1/6b230db0-d2ab-4031-9731-406f3b3cd4df.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Bridging the Academe and the Industry: A Comprehensive Assessment on Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) Student-Interns’ Actual Industry Experience based on the Assessment of the Host Training Establishment (HTE) Representatives","fulltext":[{"header":"INTRODUCTION","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe increasing reliance of the global economy on knowledge-based competencies underscores the necessity for graduates to possess robust, industry-relevant skills. In this regard, internships serve as an essential conduit between academic institutions and the professional realm, offering students invaluable practical exposure to the realities of the workplace. These experiences not only reinforce theoretical knowledge but also cultivate vital skills, including communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and professionalism, the qualities that are vital in the competitive job market.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study provides a comprehensive assessment of the Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) internship program, focusing on the actual industry experience of student-interns as evaluated by Host Training Establishment (HTE) representatives. These industry supervisors offer invaluable insights into the preparedness, performance, and potential of student-interns, thus serving as credible sources of feedback regarding the effectiveness of academic training in real-world settings. By emphasizing the perspectives of HTE representatives, the study directly addresses the need to assess not only student learning outcomes but also the degree of alignment between institutional curricula and industry expectations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the case of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), such as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), which uphold mandates of accessibility, quality, and responsiveness, the challenge of producing industry-ready graduates remains ever-present. Despite curriculum enhancements and outcome-based education reforms, gaps persist between classroom instruction and the demands of dynamic economic sectors. As business landscapes evolve rapidly due to technological advancements, globalization, and policy shifts, higher education institutions must proactively adjust their academic programs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInternships have long been recognized as essential to student development, providing experiential learning that aids in career clarity, employability, and workplace adaptability. Recent studies have broadened the discussion around internships to encompass the role of industry feedback in shaping curriculum design and institutional accountability. Through direct engagement with professional environments, students acquire insights into operational structures, organizational cultures, and sector-specific expectations—making internships a transformative component of higher education.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis research is particularly timely and relevant as industries increasingly emphasize job-ready graduates with applied competencies. By examining internship experiences from the perspective of host organizations, this study captures a dimension often underexplored in academic literature: how student-interns perform in actual industry roles and how these performances reflect the adequacy—or inadequacy—of academic preparation. It also considers how HTE feedback can inform and strengthen collaborative frameworks between universities and industry partners, ensuring continuous improvement in program delivery and student outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGrounded in Human Capital Theory, which emphasizes education and training as investments that enhance individual and collective productivity, and Social Learning Theory, which highlights the importance of learning through observation and participation, this research aims to improve the strategic integration of internships into higher education. The results will be valuable to various stakeholders: universities revising curricula, policymakers crafting workforce development initiatives, industry partners hosting interns, and students navigating their transition into professional life.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLastly, this study enhances our understanding of how academic institutions and industry can collaborate effectively to prepare graduates who are not only academically competent but also ready for the workplace. It emphasizes the role of internships as both a testing ground and a developmental platform in cultivating a skilled, competitive, and future-ready workforce.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTheoretical Framework\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study is grounded in the Theory of Human Capital, which posits that investments in education and training, in the form of learning and skills development, significantly enhance productivity and income. Human capital theory posits that investment in education is essential to acquire skills and training, which in turn will enhance individual capital (Blundell et al., 1999). Additionally, it draws upon Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory, which emphasizes the importance of observational learning, imitation, and modeling in the learning process.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eResearch Objectives\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe objective of this study is to: (a) determine the extent to which internship experiences contribute to the development of students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes; (b) identify the factors that influence student learning and development during internships; and (c) assess the impact of internships on students' career aspirations and employability. Moreover, to answer these questions: (a) what key learning outcomes and skill development do students acquire through internships? (b) What factors contribute to effective learning and skill development during internships? (c) How do internship experiences influence students' career aspirations and employability? (d) Do students perceive a significant improvement in their skills after completing the internship? and (e) are there significant differences in skill development among students from different academic backgrounds or demographic characteristics?\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReview of Related Literature and Studies\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIndustry Readiness and Soft Skills Development\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHost establishments expect interns to demonstrate core soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and adaptability alongside their academic knowledge. Robles (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e) identified integrity, communication, and adaptability as among the top soft skills desired by employers. These align with the 21st-century competencies outlined by Trilling and Fadel (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e), including collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. According to the World Economic Forum (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), skills like analytical thinking and flexibility will dominate future labor market demands. Similarly, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE, 2023) lists communication, leadership, and critical thinking among the top competencies for career readiness. Deming (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e) emphasized that jobs requiring social interaction are increasingly rewarded, which explains the wage premiums for such skills. These frameworks support the finding that while BS Economics interns from PUP exhibited strong technical knowledge, they sometimes lacked advanced communication and leadership abilities crucial to workplace success.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eInternship Structure, Onboarding, Supervision, and Monitoring Practices\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA well-structured internship program significantly enhances the learning outcomes of interns. Kolb’s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1984\u003c/span\u003e) experiential learning theory posits that learning occurs through concrete experiences followed by reflection. Internships serve as an avenue for this learning cycle. Patrick et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) emphasized that internships should intentionally integrate academic theory with workplace practice. Effective onboarding, clearly defined roles, and sustained supervision are essential. Narayanan et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) argued that supervisor support and task clarity are key drivers of intern engagement and learning. Likewise, Gault, Leach, and Duey (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) found that structured internships with mentorship yielded higher employability outcomes. Eyler (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) confirmed that experiential learning environments, such as internships, improve student motivation and knowledge application. Furthermore, Weible (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted that institutions with effective monitoring systems often have stronger industry relations and better intern outcomes. These insights reinforce the study’s finding that student-interns performed better when HTEs provided structured onboarding and regular evaluation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSkills Gaps in Economics Students\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough student-interns displayed workplace competence, host institutions identified skill gaps in communication, leadership, entrepreneurship, and higher-order thinking. These gaps are consistent with national and international studies. Succi and Canovi (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) reported that graduates often lack critical thinking, initiative, and effective communication. According to the World Economic Forum (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), analytical reasoning and innovation are essential for future work environments. Similarly, the NACE (2023) report revealed that communication and leadership were among the most lacking competencies in new graduates. Bridgstock (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) highlighted that career management skills are often underdeveloped, which limits students’ ability to transition from school to work. In the realm of economics, students may be technically trained but often lack opportunities to develop entrepreneurial thinking and leadership potential during internships, as observed in the current study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eInfluence of Host Organization Characteristics\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structure and size of host organizations play a crucial role in shaping internship experiences. Zegwaard and McCurdy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) found that larger organizations tend to provide more structured programs, often supported by HR departments and mentoring systems. Lippman et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) suggested that government institutions offer internships as part of workforce development strategies. Our study confirmed that larger public and private sector organizations provided more consistent supervision and structured onboarding than smaller firms. Smith et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) noted that geographic and sectoral disparities can influence access to quality internships, with urban centers offering more opportunities than rural ones. These findings imply that the organizational context—type, size, and location—can significantly affect the effectiveness of internship learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eUniversity–Industry Collaboration and Alumni Networks\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSustained partnerships between academia and industry are essential for successful internship programs. Weible (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) observed that internships strengthen institutional relationships with the private sector and often lead to more job placements. Jackson (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) emphasized the importance of engaging students in multiple communities of practice to enhance their professional identity. The presence of alumni within host organizations serves as a bridge between students and the industry. Our findings showed that PUP graduates influenced the decision of many HTEs to accept student interns, reinforcing the value of alumni networks. Narayanan et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) also supported alumni involvement as a strategy to improve mentorship and evaluation. These interactions not only facilitate placement but also enhance the alignment of expectations between academia and industry.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCurriculum Alignment and Internship Program Structure\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAligning the curriculum with industry needs is essential for reducing skill mismatches. Knight and Yorke (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e) proposed the USEM model (Understanding, Skills, Efficacy beliefs, and Metacognition) as a framework for embedding employability into the curriculum. Bridgstock (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) emphasized that universities must nurture both disciplinary expertise and career management skills. Jackson (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e) noted that reflection, mentoring, and feedback must be integrated into internship programs to maximize their value. Kolb (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e) also underscored the importance of structured reflection in experiential learning. Curriculum alignment includes revisiting internship duration and timing as well. Crawford and Wang (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) found that longer placements led to improved academic and employment outcomes. The present study supports this claim: HTEs recommended increasing internship hours and suggested offering it as a stand-alone course during the regular semester to prevent academic overload. These findings affirm the need for dynamic curriculum reforms that respond to industry feedback and foster deeper learning during internships.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"METHODOLOGY","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study examines the level of Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) internship programs for PUP BS Economics student-interns, their perceived industry-readiness of student-interns, observed skills gap of student-interns, their capacity and challenges in hosting internship programs, and perception on proposed curriculum revision concerning internship course. Moreover, to determine whether there is a significant difference in the mentioned measures in terms of their experiences during the internship, such as the Type of Employer and the host training establishment’s company size.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e1. Research Design, Population, Sampling, and Data Collection\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study employs a quantitative research design that utilizes both descriptive and comparative approaches to analyze and examine HTEs' perceived industry readiness of PUP BS Economics student interns, the observed skills gap and application of skills, the challenges and capacity to host internship programs, and perceptions regarding the proposed curriculum revision related to the internship course. Univariate analysis was utilized to describe the characteristics and behaviors of the variables through frequency distributions (Babbie, 2021) and the percentage of respondents who met a given criterion. The research questionnaire was developed and validated by an expert in the field of Economics and approved by the PUP University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) through the issuance of Ethical Clearance. The questionnaire is structured and provides options for responses, such as “yes” or “no.” The population includes 67 representatives and supervisors from various Host Training Establishments (HTEs) across regions and industries in the Philippines.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe research instrument was divided into eight (8) parts: (a) company or agency details; (b) student interns’ experiences during the internship; (c) HTEs' perceived industry readiness of student interns; (d) student interns' application of skills during their internship; (e) student interns' skills gap; (f) HTEs' capacity and challenges in hosting internship programs; (g) proposed curriculum revision; and (h) questions about the presence of PUP graduates.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e2. Methodology\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study employs a quantitative approach to describe student-interns' actual experiences, their industry readiness and skill application, and the curriculum relevance of the PUP BS Economics program from the perspective and observations of Host Training Establishments (HTEs) that accepted student-interns from the PUP BS Economics program. After answering the questionnaire, data were collected, tabulated, and processed using SPSS. Mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentages were utilized for descriptive statistics, while a t-test was applied for inferential statistics at a 0.05 level of significance to derive meaningful analysis from the conducted survey. For interpreting the level of perceived industry readiness, the following scale and description were used as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale Description and Interpretation for HTEs Level of Perceived Industry-readiness of PUP Student-interns\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.00-1.80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern did not demonstrate industry-readiness at all\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.81–2.60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern showed limited readiness and required close supervision\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.61–3.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern met minimum expectations but showed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41–4.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern showed readiness and did not require close supervision\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.21-5.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern demonstrates high industry-readiness\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the level of HTEs' perceived application of skills during the internship, the following scale and description were used as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale Description and Interpretation for HTEs' Level of Perceived Application of Skills of PUP Student-interns During Internship\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.00-1.80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern did not demonstrate this skill at all\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.81–2.60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern rarely demonstrated this skill effectively\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.61–3.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern sometimes demonstrated this skill\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41–4.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern often demonstrated this skill effectively\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.21-5.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe intern consistently demonstrated this skill with confidence and competence\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the level of HTEs' perception on student-interns’ skills gap, the following scale and description were used as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale Description and Interpretation for HTEs Level of Perceived Skills Gap of PUP BS Economics Student-interns\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.00-1.80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is a significant skills gap, and immediate improvement is needed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.81–2.60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is a notable skills gap, improvement is important\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.61–3.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is some gap, but it is not critical\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41–4.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is minimal skills gap, only slight improvement is needed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.21-5.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere is no skills gap, and improvement in this skill is not needed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor the HTEs' capacity to host an internship, the following scale and description were used as shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale Description of HTEs' Capacity to Host Internship\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eScale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.00-1.80\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.81–2.60\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.61–3.40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41–4.20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.21-5.00\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"RESULTS AND DISCUSSION","content":"\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e below presents the profiles of the Host Training Establishments (HTEs). A significant portion of HTEs (65.7%) were public or government institutions, while 34.3% were private entities or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). This distribution indicates a strong dependence on government institutions for providing internship opportunities. Government agencies may be more likely to offer internship programs due to mandates for capacity building and fulfilling public service missions. Lippman et al (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) stated that public institutions often engage in educational programs to meet long-term workforce planning goals. The table also revealed that most host establishments (74.6%) employ more than 200 individuals, indicating a predominance of large organizations in internship hosting. Only 4.5% were small enterprises with fewer than 10 employees. This trend confirms the study of Zegwaard and McCurdy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e), who stated that larger organizations typically have more resources and formal structures to support internships, including dedicated HR and training departments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eProfiling of Host Training Establishments\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfile of Host Training Establishments\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eValid Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCumulative Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eType of Company/Agency\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrivate/NGO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublic/Government\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCompany/Agency Size\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1 to 9 employees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10 to 99 employees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100 to 199 employees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e200 employees and above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e74.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e74.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"6\" rowspan=\"7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRegional Location\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNCR First District (Manila City)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNCR Fourth District (Las Pinas, Makati, Pateros, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Taguig, Pasay)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e56.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNCR Second District (Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Quezon City, San Juan)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e89.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNCR Third District (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e91.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegion 3 - Central Luzon\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegion 4A - CALABARZON\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLocation Area Type\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRural\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUrban\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"7\" rowspan=\"8\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eType of Industry\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBanking and Finance\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGovernment Agencies and Instrumentalities\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e43.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e43.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e73.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRetail Services\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e83.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHealth \u0026amp; Pharmaceutical Industry\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e94.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInformation Technology\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e97.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUtility Services\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdequacy of physical facilities to provide internship programs\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e98.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost HTEs are concentrated in the NCR Fourth District (41.8%) and NCR Second District (32.8%). In contrast, Region 4A and the NCR Third District had the fewest participating establishments (1.5% each). This highlights a geographical disparity in internship opportunities, largely due to urbanized and economically developed districts. Similarly, Smith et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) found that access to internship programs is often unevenly distributed, favoring areas with greater industrial and service-sector presence. Additionally, all 67 establishments (100%) were located in urban areas. This uniformity reveals a lack of internship hosting in rural regions, possibly due to limited business activities or infrastructure, as well as other external factors. According to Azman et al. (2018), urban-centric internship opportunities may exacerbate inequalities in access for students from rural areas, who may face financial and logistical barriers to participation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn terms of industry representation, the most prominent sector was Government Agencies (43.3%), followed by Banking and Finance (29.9%). Less representation was observed in IT (3.0%), Utilities (1.5%), and Education (1.5%). This reflects the structure of the Philippine urban economy, where government and financial services serve as major employers. It also indicates a potential mismatch between internship opportunities and emerging sectors like IT, which may impede alignment with future job market demands (Crawford and Wang, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe majority (98.5%) of HTEs reported having adequate physical facilities to support internship programs. This suggests that most participating organizations are prepared to provide a conducive environment for experiential education. As noted by Jackson (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e), facility adequacy plays a critical role in student satisfaction and learning outcomes during internships.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegarding the pre-internship and onboarding activities conducted, Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e indicates that 91% of the HTEs offered purely on-site internships. In comparison, 9% offered a hybrid model, which combines online, work-from-home, and on-site internship training. This finding highlights the ongoing challenge of digital transformation in experiential learning. Although hybrid or remote internships became more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic (Gamage et al., 2020), many organizations seem to have returned to on-site practices. This could be attributed to perceived effectiveness, ease of supervision, or limited technological infrastructure.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn addition, a large portion (92.5%) of HTEs discuss their VMGOs with interns, which is essential for aligning interns’ understanding of the company’s direction and values. Moreover, almost all HTEs (97.0%) conducted orientations on their organizational structure. This step supports role clarity, helps interns understand reporting relationships, and enhances workplace integration. According to Narayanan et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e), interns' understanding of organizational goals significantly enhances motivation and integration into the workplace, thereby improving internship outcomes. This is also consistent with the findings of Eyler (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e), who emphasized that structured onboarding activities, including organizational orientation, correlate with better intern engagement and task performance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHost Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Pre-internship and Onboarding Activities\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePre-internship and Onboarding Activities\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eValid Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCumulative Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJob Arrangement\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHybrid (Alternate online or work-from-home and on-site)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePurely on-site\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e61\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e91.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e91.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDiscussion about the Mission, Vision, Goals, and Objectives of the Company/Agency\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e62\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e92.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e92.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrientation about the Organizational Structure of the Company/Agency\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e97.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e97.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDiscussion about the Expected Learning Outcomes before the Internship began\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAssigning of personnel to Supervise the Interns\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e63\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e94.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e94.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, all establishments (100%) discussed their expected learning outcomes before the internship. This level of consistency indicates strong adherence to academic-industry alignment practices and principles of experiential learning. Furthermore, most HTEs (94.0%) assigned supervisors to guide student-interns, demonstrating a commitment to mentorship and quality training delivery. According to Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (1984), clarity in expected outcomes fosters meaningful reflection and knowledge application during fieldwork, while supervision is a critical component of internship quality. As noted by Weible (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e), the presence of an engaged supervisor positively influences intern satisfaction, skill acquisition, and overall internship success.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab7\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e illustrates how HTEs conduct monitoring activities for students and the frequency at which these activities are carried out. All HTEs (100%) reported that they review student interns and discuss their performance with them. This total compliance strongly indicates structured internship programs that prioritize feedback and accountability. Weible (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) emphasized that regular evaluation and feedback are essential for the personal and professional development of interns, enhancing both their performance and workplace integration. However, nearly half of the HTEs only conduct evaluations at the end, indicating that while evaluation is universally practiced, formative feedback through ongoing evaluation is limited. According to Gault et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e), timely and continuous feedback (\u003cem\u003eformative assessment\u003c/em\u003e) allows interns to adjust and improve their performance throughout the internship, rather than only learning from final summative assessments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab7\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 7\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHost Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Monitoring Activities\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatements about Monitoring of Student-Interns\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eValid Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCumulative Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHave you evaluated your student-interns in terms of their work and discuss it with them?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow often do you evaluate their work and discuss it with them?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDaily\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e14.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMonthly\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn time at the end of the internship program\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWeekly\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e34.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDo you have a regular office/unit/group meeting?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"5\" rowspan=\"6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow frequent is your conduct of office/unit/group meetings?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDaily\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOnce a month\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwice a month\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwice a week\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e73.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWeekly\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, all 67 HTEs reported having regular office, unit, or group meetings, which indicates a structured communication culture within the organizations. Most meetings occur monthly or weekly, suggesting that interns may have moderate but consistent access to team communication and developmental discussions. Regular team meetings support organizational cohesion and facilitate intern participation in the workplace. Jackson (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) emphasized that the inclusion of formal and informal meetings enhances interns' understanding of team dynamics and improves soft skills like communication and collaboration.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab8\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e shows the HTEs’ perceived industry readiness of BS Economics student interns. The overall mean rating of 4.45 falls within the \"Strongly Agree\" interpretation range, indicating that host training establishments perceive PUP BS Economics student interns as highly prepared for the industry’s demands. The competencies with the highest ratings were adaptability and willingness to learn (4.79), collaboration (4.69), work ethic and role commitment (4.66), good time management and organizational skills (4.55), and exhibiting high ethical standards in their work (4.46). These reflect a strong foundation in soft skills, which are crucial for career success. Robles (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e) identifies soft skills such as integrity, communication, and adaptability as \"top employability skills\" that employers value over technical proficiency in many cases. The findings suggest that the university is effectively enhancing these competencies.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, the competencies with the lowest ratings that are still positive include communication and interpersonal skills (4.31), entrepreneurial mindset and skills (4.25), leadership potential (4.27), and industry trend knowledge (4.30). These areas could benefit from increased exposure and development. Leadership and entrepreneurship are commonly cited as 21st-century skills (Trilling \u0026amp; Fadel, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e), which are essential in a fast-evolving economic environment. Although these traits are not rated as highly, they may indicate that students lack sufficient exposure to real decision-making roles or entrepreneurial thinking during the internship. While these competencies still fall within the “Strongly Agree” range, they highlight the need for targeted curriculum or internship activities that more explicitly address these areas, such as project-based learning or participation in strategic discussions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab8\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 8\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePerceived Industry Readiness of PUP BS Economics Students\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndustry Readiness Statements\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMin\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMax\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate adaptability and a willingness to learn new skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.591\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.79\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns are able to work collaboratively in teams.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.633\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.69\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns exhibit a strong work ethic and commitment to their roles.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.664\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns exhibit good time management and organizational skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.763\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.57\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOverall, BS Economics student-interns are well-prepared for the workforce.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.702\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.55\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns exhibit high ethical standards in their work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.725\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns possess the necessary technical skills required for their roles.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.701\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.43\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns can effectively apply theoretical knowledge to practical work situations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.756\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns possess effective marketing and self-promotion skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.829\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate problem-solving and decision-making abilities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.746\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate awareness of the challenges and opportunities in the industry.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.766\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.783\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns possess sufficient knowledge of industry trends and developments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.921\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate leadership potential.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.790\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns exhibit entrepreneurial mindset and skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.859\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePerceived Industry Readiness\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"7\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterpretation:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree (The intern did not demonstrate industry-readiness at all)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.81–2.60 Disagree (The intern showed limited readiness and required close supervision)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.61–3.40 Neutral (The intern met minimum expectations but showed)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41–4.20 Agree (I feel mostly prepared for industry expectations)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree (I feel fully confident and industry-ready)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab9\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e presents the application of skills observed in BS Economics student-interns as perceived by the HTEs. The average mean score for the observed application of skills among BS Economics student-interns is 4.44, interpreted as \"Strongly Agree,\" indicating that host training establishments (HTEs) view the student-interns as consistently demonstrating the necessary workplace skills with competence and confidence during their internship. The competencies with the highest ratings were adaptability and willingness to learn (4.79), team collaboration (4.69), work ethic and commitment (4.66), and effective time management and organizational skills (4.57). These skills align with what the World Economic Forum (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) identifies as the best future-ready skills, emphasizing flexibility, cooperation, and self-management. Employers now prioritize such soft skills even more than technical ones, particularly in dynamic work environments (Deming, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMoreover, the competencies with lower ratings exhibited an entrepreneurial mindset and skills (4.25), demonstrated leadership potential (4.27), displayed sufficient knowledge of industry trends (4.30), and showed strong communication and interpersonal skills (4.31). These results also support previous findings and highlight areas where students may lack leadership responsibilities or opportunities for entrepreneurial problem-solving. This also reflects research by Jackson and Wilton (2016), who argued that internships often require leadership and innovation tasks due to hierarchical workplace limitations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo further strengthen the application of theoretical knowledge, internship programs could adopt and enhance structured reflection, such as using a learning journal and conducting faculty-industry collaborations to contextualize academic content (Kolb, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab9\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 9\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eObserved Student-Interns' Application of Skills during Internship\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatements on Application of Skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMin\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMax\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate adaptability and a willingness to learn new skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.591\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.79\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns are able to work collaboratively in teams.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.633\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.69\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns exhibit a strong work ethic and commitment to their roles.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.664\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns exhibit good time management and organizational skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.763\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.57\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOverall, BS Economics student-interns are well-prepared for the workforce.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.702\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.55\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns exhibit high ethical standards in their work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.725\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns possess the necessary technical skills required for their roles.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.701\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.43\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns can effectively apply theoretical knowledge to practical work situations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.756\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns possess effective marketing and self-promotion skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.829\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate problem-solving and decision-making abilities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.746\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate awareness of the challenges and opportunities in the industry.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.766\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.783\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.31\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns possess sufficient knowledge of industry trends and developments.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.921\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns demonstrate leadership potential.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.790\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBS Economics student-interns exhibit entrepreneurial mindset and skills.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.859\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eApplication of Skills\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.44\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"7\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterpretation:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree (The intern did not demonstrate this skill at all)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.81–2.60 Disagree (The intern rarely demonstrated this skill effectively)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.61–3.40 Neutral (The intern sometimes demonstrated this skill)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41–4.20 Agree (The intern often demonstrated this skill effectively)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree (The intern consistently demonstrated this skill with confidence and competence)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab10\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e shows the mean score of PUP BS Economics student-interns' skills gap as observed by the Host Training Establishments (HTEs). The overall score for the Skills Gap is 4.366, interpreted as \"Strongly Disagree,\" indicating that host training establishments (HTEs) perceive minimal to no skills gaps among the BS Economics students. This reinforces previous findings on strong industry readiness and effective skills application. The competencies with the highest scores are teamwork and collaboration (4.67), professionalism (4.57), meeting deadlines (4.52), and adaptability (4.49). These skills reflect a high level of professionalism, which is essential in today's collaborative and deadline-driven work environments. According to Succi \u0026amp; Canovi (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), employers often value soft skills such as teamwork and reliability above purely technical skills. Meanwhile, competencies with relatively lower scores suggest areas for improvement, including project management skills (4.07), analytical skills (4.18), decision-making skills (4.18), data analysis and interpretation skills (4.22), research skills (4.24), and written communication skills (4.24). These are essential cognitive and technical skills needed for economics professionals, particularly in the areas of policy analysis, economic forecasting, and market research. The lower mean scores suggest that while student-interns perform adequately, greater depth or independence may be expected. This is consistent with industry reports such as the NACE 2023 Report, which identify data literacy, research competency, and problem-solving as common areas where graduates require further development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab10\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 10\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSkills Gap of Student-Interns\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eList of Skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMin\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMax\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProject management skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.765\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.07\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnalytical skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.815\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDecision-making skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.796\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eData analysis and interpretation skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.832\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.22\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten communication skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.780\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.818\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePresentation skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.790\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVerbal communication skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.739\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCreativity and innovation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.824\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProficiency in relevant software\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.778\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.39\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInitiative\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.722\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.43\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrioritization skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.682\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTask management skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.682\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdaptability\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.612\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.49\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeeting deadlines\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.660\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.52\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eActive listening skills\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.529\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.57\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProfessionalism\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.529\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.57\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTeamwork and collaboration\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.561\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSkills Gap\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4.366\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"7\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterpretation:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.00-1.80 Strongly Agree (There is a significant skills gap, and immediate improvement is needed)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.81–2.60 Agree (There is a notable skills gap, improvement is important)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.61–3.40 Neutral (There is some gap, but it is not critical)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41–4.20 Disagree (There is minimal skills gap, only slight improvement is needed)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.21-5.00 Strongly Disagree (There is no skills gap, and improvement in this skill is not needed)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab11\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e shows a high level of capacity and strong institutional readiness among Host Training Establishments (HTEs) to host BS Economics student-interns from PUP. The overall mean ratings lean strongly toward agreement or strong agreement with positive capacity indicators, while potential challenges are rated mostly neutral or disagree, suggesting they are manageable and not severe constraints. HTEs strongly agree that they have adequate personnel to supervise interns (4.63), had clear expectations and guidelines for interns (4.63), supportive environment for interns (4.58), sufficient resources for internship (4.48), structured internship program in place, and that access to a qualified pool of interns is advantageous to HTEs (4.33). The results indicate that HTEs possess the necessary infrastructure and human resources for effective internship implementation but also maintain positive attitudes and systems for internship integration into their organizational structure.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab11\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 11\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHost Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Capacity to Host Internship\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatements on Capacity\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto Host Internship\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMin\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMax\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStd. Deviation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvaluating intern performance is time-consuming.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.255\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCoordinating with academic institutions for internship placements is difficult.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.363\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe face difficulties in finding relevant projects for interns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.312\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.63\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral/Undecided\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe require additional training for supervisors on mentoring interns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.250\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.73\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral/Undecided\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBalancing regular work operations with internship responsibilities is challenging.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.323\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.91\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral/Undecided\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProviding appropriate compensation or stipends to interns is a challenge.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.415\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.24\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral/Undecided\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe need more guidance on curriculum alignment for internship programs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.191\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.28\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNeutral/Undecided\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFinancial support for internship programs would be beneficial.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.220\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.76\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollaboration with other companies for internship programs would be helpful.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.118\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.85\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccess to a pool of qualified interns would be advantageous.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.637\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur company has a structured internship program in place.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.868\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.37\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur company has sufficient resources allocated for internship programs.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.560\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOur company provides a supportive environment for interns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.497\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.58\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe have adequate personnel to supervise and mentor interns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.517\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.63\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe have clear expectations and guidelines for interns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e.573\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.63\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"7\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eInterpretation:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.81–2.60 Disagree\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.61–3.40 Neutral (Undecided)\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.41–4.20 Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, they express neutrality in various statements, including difficulty finding relevant projects for interns (2.63), a need for additional training for supervisors (2.73), experiences of difficulties in balancing internship duties with regular operations (2.91), challenges in providing compensation (3.24), and a need for better guidance on curriculum alignment (3.28). These findings support challenges cited in existing internship literature, such as Jackson (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), who noted that mentoring capacity, meaningful task assignment, and role clarity are common concerns for internship hosts. While these challenges are not critical barriers, they provide opportunities for support through policy, training, and collaboration with the university. The rating of 3.28 for curriculum alignment guidance indicates that HTEs are open to more structured collaboration with academic institutions, suggesting that regular industry-academe consultations could address this issue.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the HTEs disagreed that evaluating interns is time-consuming (2.30) and that they experienced difficulties in coordinating with the University/School (2.54). These low scores suggest that HTEs do not view internship coordination or evaluation as difficult, indicating effective communication channels with the university and a well-established evaluation framework.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother table below shows how HTE representatives perceive the potential changes to the internship course offerings for PUP BS Economics students. This indicates that 80.6% of the HTEs believe the internship course should be offered during the regular semester. Stakeholders feel that integrating internships more meaningfully into the academic calendar and curriculum can enhance the quality of student learning and industry engagement. With 47.8% recommending more than 300 hours and 31.3% recommending 300 hours, only 16.4% believe that 200 hours is sufficient. This suggests that most HTEs view the current duration as too short to ensure deep skill development, significant contributions, and professional readiness. The data also highlights logistical and pedagogical issues, as 82.1% agreed that the internship should be a stand-alone course. This implies that concurrent academic demands may currently hinder students' focus and performance during internships. HTEs strongly support curricular changes to the BS Economics internship program. These include offering it exclusively within a semester, increasing the number of hours beyond 200, and aligning internship periods with the regular academic calendar. Such revisions would better prepare students for industry requirements and allow HTEs to integrate interns more meaningfully into their operations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab12\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 12\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePerception on the Possible Changes in the Offering of the Internship Course for BS Economics Students\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSurvey Questions\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eValid Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCumulative Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDo you agree that the internship course must be taken during regular semesters (First Semester \u0026amp; Second Semester)?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e80.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e80.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDo you believe that the 200-hour requirement of internship course must be increased?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e56\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e83.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e83.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat is the ideal number of hours to ensure student-interns' learning and skill development during internship?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e200 hours\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e16.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e250 hours\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e300 hours\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore than 300 hours\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDo you agree that the internship program course shall be offered solely for a semester to avoid conflicts with other academic courses?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e82.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e82.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab13\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e presents data on the presence of PUP alumni across the Host Training Establishments (HTEs). It reveals that 77.6% of the HTEs agreed they know someone from their organization who is a graduate of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. This suggests that PUP alumni are well-integrated within host establishments. It also reflects positively on the employability and professional reputation of PUP graduates. Meanwhile, 62.7% of them agreed that the presence of PUP alumni in their organizations influenced their decision to accept and host student-interns from the university. This indicates that alumni can serve as internal advocates or mentors, fostering a culture of trust and understanding of PUP's training standards. It also implies that alumni can be a significant networking bridge for current students entering the workforce. Given these results, the university could formalize an alumni-in-industry network to strengthen internship pipelines, where alumni can recommend or refer current students to apply for internships or job positions in their organizations, serve as supervisors, mentors, or evaluators, and provide feedback to improve academic-industry alignment. The presence of PUP alumni in host organizations is both widespread and influential. Their positive impact on internship acceptance decisions underscores the importance of fostering strong alumni relations; leveraging alumni networks could significantly enhance internship placements, mentorship, and overall industry partnerships for PUP.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab13\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 13\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePresence of PUP Alumni in the Host Training Establishments\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSurvey Questions\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eValid Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCumulative Percent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDo you know someone from your company who is a graduate or an alumnus of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e77.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e77.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDoes the presence of PUP Graduates in your company influence your decision to accept student-interns from PUP?\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e62.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e62.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e100.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e67\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.0\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab14\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e indicates that there is no significant difference in the HTEs' perceived industry readiness of PUP BS Economics students when grouped by type of employer (p \u0026gt; 0.05) and company size (p \u0026gt; 0.05). The mean values across all categories, ranging from 4.26 to 4.42, fall within the interpretation scale of \"Strongly Agree,\" suggesting a high and consistent perception of readiness among student-interns, regardless of employer type or size.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab14\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 14\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTest of Difference in the Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Perceived Industry Readiness of BS Economics Students when grouped according to Type of Employer and Host Training Establishments’ Company Size\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003et-value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProb.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(2-tailed)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eType of Employer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublic/Government\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.43\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.327\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.745\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo significant difference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrivate/NGO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCompany Size\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1-199 Employees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.44\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.012\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.991\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo significant difference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e200 Employees and above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.45\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis suggests that PUP BS Economics students are perceived to be well-prepared for the industry across various organizational contexts. Additionally, it reflects the strength and standardization of the academic preparation and internship coordination provided by the university and implies that the PUP BS Economics program effectively develops competencies recognized across sectors and company sizes. Since both small and large companies perceive students similarly, internship placements can be diversified across organizations of different scales without concerns about readiness mismatch. Therefore, internship coordinators can focus more on field relevance and mentoring quality rather than employer size. Moreover, the consistency across company sizes supports the study by Silva et al (2016), who stated that employer satisfaction with interns is generally unaffected by organizational size but is more influenced by student adaptability, initiative, and communication.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab15\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e presents the HTEs' observed application of skills of BS Economics student-interns categorized by type of employer and company size. The findings indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in the observed application of skills when sorted by type of employer (p \u0026gt; 0.05) and company size (p \u0026gt; 0.05). All mean values are notably high, ranging from 4.41 to 4.48, and fall within the scale of \"Strongly Agree,\" suggesting that most HTEs, irrespective of category, consistently observe a strong application of employment skills among the student-interns.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab15\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 15\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTest of Difference in the Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Observed Application of Skills of BS Economics Students when grouped according to Type of Employer and Host Training Establishments’ Company Size\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003et-value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProb.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(2-tailed)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eType of Employer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublic/Government\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.46\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.025\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.980\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo significant difference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrivate/NGO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.47\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCompany Size\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1-199 Employees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.41\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.391\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.697\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo significant difference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e200 Employees and above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.48\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe absence of significant differences suggests that student-interns' ability to apply skills is consistent across various workplace settings. This indicates a level of flexibility and adaptability in their competencies, enabling them to perform effectively in the public, private, or NGO sectors. Knight and Yorke (2004) argue that employability is not just about possessing skills but about being able to demonstrate and apply them in different contexts, which appears to be a strength of the PUP BS Economics students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab16\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e presents the perceived skills gap of PUP BS Economics student-interns as observed by Host Training Establishments (HTEs). This indicates that there is no significant difference in the perceived skills gap of student-interns when categorized by type of employer (p \u0026gt; 0.05) and company size (p \u0026gt; 0.05).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab16\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 16\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTest of Difference in the Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Observed Skills Gap of BS Economics Students when grouped according to Type of Employer and Host Training Establishments’ Company Size\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003et-value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProb.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(2-tailed)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eType of Employer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublic/Government\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.42\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.027\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.161\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo significant difference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrivate/NGO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.26\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCompany Size\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1-199 Employees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.335\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.739\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo significant difference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e200 Employees and above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.38\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGiven the mean score ranging from 4.26 to 4.42, the HTEs \"Strongly Disagree\" that there is a skills gap, implying that respondents believe student-interns are sufficiently skilled in the areas assessed. The consistently high ratings indicate that student-interns meet or exceed expectations, regardless of whether the host is a government agency, an NGO, or a large corporation. This reinforces the idea that the perceived skills gap is minimal or non-existent across the sector. Despite variations in organizational structures and cultures, employers do not perceive a significant gap in key skills such as communication, data analysis, or professionalism, which were typically flagged in graduate employment studies (Yorke, 2006). The findings align with Bridgstock (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e), who emphasized the importance of \"career management competencies\" that enable students to be adaptable across sectors. Additionally, Knight and Yorke (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e) argue that where skill gaps exist, they can often be mitigated by structured experiential learning, such as internships. These results suggest that the combination of coursework and practical exposure has effectively eliminated the anticipated gap.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab17\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e shows that there is no significant difference in HTEs' capacity to host internships when grouped by type of employer (0.629) and company size (0.747). Mean scores across all groups range from 3.57 to 3.64 and can be interpreted as generally “Agree,” indicating moderate to strong perceived capacity among the respondents. This implies that both public and private institutions, regardless of size, are capable of hosting interns. With average ratings suggesting agreement, host establishments generally believe they possess sufficient resources, such as clear guidelines, mentoring personnel, and supportive environments, for productive internships. This aligns with Coll \u0026amp; Zegwaard (2011), who stress the importance of organizational readiness in the success of work-integrated learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab17\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 17\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTest of Difference in the Host Training Establishments’ (HTEs) Capacity to Host Internship when grouped according to Type of Employer and Host Training Establishments’ Company Size\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategories\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003et-value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eProb.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e(2-tailed)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistical Interpretation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eType of Employer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublic/Government\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.64\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.486\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.629\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo significant difference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrivate/NGO\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.57\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"6\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCompany Size\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1-199 Employees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.58\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.324\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.747\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo significant difference\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e200 Employees and above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.63\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAdditionally, since neither the type nor the size of the institution significantly affects capacity, this suggests that reorganizing the internship program or diversifying host organizations is a viable strategy. Even smaller government units seem capable of accommodating interns just like large corporations. Patrick et al (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e) argue that the success of internship programs depends more on the presence of structured internship policies and institutional commitment than on the size or sector of the organization. Furthermore, Smith, Ferns, and Russell (2016) found that small and medium enterprises (SMEs), when adequately supported, can offer equally enriching learning environments compared to larger corporations.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS","content":"\u003cp\u003eBased on the results and discussion above, the researcher concludes that:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Bachelor of Science in Economics program at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) shows a high degree of alignment with industry standards, with students demonstrating strong overall readiness for the industry, as reflected in the composite rating of 4.45 (\"Strongly Agree\").\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eHost Training Establishments (HTEs) consistently commended student interns for their strong soft skills, especially in adaptability, collaboration, work ethic, and time management.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe students demonstrated commendable capacity to translate theoretical knowledge into professional practice, performing effectively in teamwork and displaying professionalism, with a mean performance rating of 4.44.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eSkills gaps were minimal and primarily limited to higher-order competencies, including analytical reasoning, project management, decision-making, and professional writing, areas that received a mean rating of 4.37, indicating limited concern (“Strongly Disagree”).\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eHTEs demonstrated readiness and capability to support internships through adequate supervision, resource availability, and structured training systems. Reported challenges were generally minimal and manageable.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe current internship framework requires recalibration. Notably, HTEs recommended that the internship be offered as a dedicated course during the regular academic semester, with an extended minimum duration of 300 hours to enhance the depth of industry exposure.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo statistically significant variation in internship outcomes was identified across HTE classifications, such as by size or type, indicating that program effectiveness is broadly consistent and scalable.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe presence of alumni within HTEs facilitates access to internship placements and improves the quality of mentorship, thereby strengthening linkages between the academic institution and industry.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased on the conclusions, the following recommendations are made:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eReconfigure the internship program into a stand-alone, semester-long academic course with a minimum requirement of 300 internship hours. This modification should align with industry partners and international best practices in experiential learning.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo address identified skills gaps, the Department of Economics should incorporate project-based learning, case analysis, and industry-based problem-solving exercises into the curriculum. Additional coursework in data analytics, research methodology, and professional writing should be included to enhance competencies in analytical thinking, project management, and evidence-based decision-making.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eFoster deeper collaboration with HTEs through established consultation mechanisms, active involvement of HTE supervisors in internship planning and evaluation, and formal feedback loops. The establishment of a PUP Economics Alumni Mentorship Program is also recommended to leverage alumni expertise in student career development, peer mentoring, and industry engagement.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eProvide structured training for HTE supervisors to enhance their mentoring capacity and ensure consistency in internship outcomes. A University-Industry Internship Handbook should be created to standardize expectations, clarify roles, and facilitate seamless communication between stakeholders.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eBroaden internship placements to include emerging and interdisciplinary fields such as data science, technology, policy research, and consulting. To promote equity and access, particularly for students who are geographically or economically disadvantaged, the University should consider hybrid and remote internship models.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntegrate structured reflection into the internship framework by requiring learning journals and reflective essays. HTEs should be encouraged to provide ongoing feedback throughout the internship, promoting continuous learning and development, rather than relying solely on end-of-term evaluations.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eCompeting Interest:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe author hereby declares that the Polytechnic University of the Philippines has authorized the author to conduct this study during official hours as part of the research load and that the University provides technical funding for it.\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eEthical Conduct of Research:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eEthics clearance was obtained through the University Research Ethics Committee (UREC) of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), where the instruments, including the informed consent form, were validated for use with human participants.\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eThe informed consent form was obtained from participants before they registered their survey responses. Moreover, the collection of data involving human participants was performed per Executive No. 08, series of 2025 of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and the 2022 National Ethical Guidelines of the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB). The Polytechnic University of the Philippines is an accredited institution of the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board (PHREB).\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAvailability of Data and Material:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe research instrument and datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAuthorship Contribution:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe author completed this study independently. Therefore, the author drafted and formulated all sections of this study, including the introduction, theoretical framework, review of related studies, methodology, results, discussion, conclusions, and recommendations.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClinical Trial Number:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Participate declaration:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Publish declaration:\u003c/strong\u003e Not applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBridgstock, R. (2009). 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The influence of work-integrated learning on motivation to undertake graduate study in engineering. \u003cem\u003eAsia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education\u003c/em\u003e, 15(1), 13\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Internship Assessment, Industry Readiness, Economics Education, Skills Gap, Curriculum Development, University-Industry Collaboration","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7000339/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7000339/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study evaluates the industry readiness and internship performance of Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) student-interns from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) as assessed by Host Training Establishments (HTEs). Utilizing a quantitative research design, the study gathered responses from 67 HTE representatives across public and private sectors, employing descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze perceptions of student skills, preparedness, and program structure. The findings reveal that PUP BS Economics students are highly regarded by HTEs, particularly for their soft skills, such as adaptability, collaboration, work ethic, and time management, with an overall industry readiness rating of 4.45 (\u0026ldquo;Strongly Agree\u0026rdquo;). Interns were observed to effectively apply theoretical knowledge in workplace settings, with minimal skill gaps (mean rating of 4.37 or \u0026ldquo;Strongly Disagree\u0026rdquo;), although areas for improvement were identified in analytical reasoning, project management, decision-making, and written communication. HTEs reported strong capacities to host interns but highlighted the need for curriculum revisions, especially increasing internship hours and offering the course during regular semesters as a stand-alone subject. No significant differences were found in perceptions of readiness across employer types or sizes, underscoring the consistency of PUP\u0026rsquo;s academic preparation. The study recommends structural changes in the internship program, enhanced alumni engagement, and strengthened industry-academia collaboration to further align academic training with labor market demands.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Bridging the Academe and the Industry: A Comprehensive Assessment on Bachelor of Science in Economics (BSE) Student-Interns’ Actual Industry Experience based on the Assessment of the Host Training Establishment (HTE) Representatives","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-08-04 06:38:33","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7000339/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"fdca5e8a-ed06-45b1-abcc-8b1d3b073c53","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 4th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-11-05T10:54:10+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-04 06:38:33","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7000339","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7000339","identity":"rs-7000339","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}