The impact of internship in public organizations on university students' perceptions and career choice

Although internship has substantial implications for public administration, little is known about how it affects students. This article analyzes whether internships change students' perceptions of public organizations, and whether they ultimately affect their choice between public and private sector jobs. We surveyed 818 Singapore university students and measured their perceptions of public organizations using a masculinity index. Then, we analyzed whether those with internship experience had different perceptions from those without it. Finally, we used logistic regression to test whether perceptions of public organizations and public internship experiences explain the probability of students' job choices. These analyses were complemented by interviews with students. The with-internship group shows significantly lower masculinity index scores than the without-internship group. The less masculine their image of public organizations, the stronger their preference for public sector jobs. Students with an unsatisfactory internship confirm or strengthen their masculine image of public organizations and avoid public sector jobs.