Examining Internal Perceived Employability Post-Internship: A Study Using the NACE Career Competencies Framework
Degree Date
5-3-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Education
Abstract
With the employability of undergraduate students as a core purpose of higher education, institutions of higher education (IHE) are being held accountable for preparing career-ready graduates. One way that IHE prepare career-ready graduates is by encouraging internships, which are a high-impact practice aimed at providing students with an opportunity to apply classroom learning along with gaining and enhancing employability skills. Recently, perceived employability, defined as an individual's belief in their ability to gain and maintain employment, has gained attention in higher education. This study focused on internal perceived employability, a component of overall perceived employability, which refers to an individual’s perception of their skills and abilities. As a response to the growing attention on the outcome of a degree and a gap in resources to guide IHE, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) created a Career Readiness Initiative equipped with eight career competencies, which are respected and used by both IHE and employers. This study used NACE’s career competencies as a framework to understand the internal perceived employability of undergraduate students’ post-internship. Using qualitative research, virtual interviews examined the experience of six traditional undergraduate students who recently completed an internship at a mid-sized media and measurement firm with hubs in three major metropolitan areas. Key findings from this research study indicated that interns' internal perceptions of employability post-internship are shaped by awareness of their own development in the following NACE career competencies: communication, critical thinking, professionalism, teamwork, and technology. These results further indicated participants demonstrated proficiency in awareness of both their strengths and areas for growth, a stated behavior in NACE’s career and self-development competency.