The purposes of this presentation are to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of the study of English and to present the challenges faced and endeavors needed by the two major stakeholders – the department and students – in creating successful internship programs in the aviation industry.
Many universities have prioritized experiential learning as they encourage their students to partake in relevant jobs and internships as part of the undergraduate experience. It has been well documented that internship programs help students secure employment after graduation. The trend towards internships even tempts universities and departments to make them mandatory for graduation. Even so, most universities provide little institutional support needed to adequately prepare students to achieve success in their internship.
The purposes of this presentation are to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of the study of English and to present the challenges faced and endeavors needed by the two major stakeholders – the department and students – in creating successful internship programs in the aviation industry. This presentation starts with the assumptions about the English major, moves onto the changes and developments English departments have made to refute the public false beliefs, and then describes the problems encountered in the internship process by the faculty supervisor and interns. It explains the issues that appertain to the internship curriculum and urges immediate action to carefully design and support an internship program that allows interns to start the transition from students to professionals. The results may aid those who are interested in implementing similar programs at their institutions.
