The level of preparedness of 4th year BSHRM students of Manila Tytana Colleges towards their hospitality internship / Lermi Jane R. Vallecillo, Ma. Krizia P. Balagtas, Bea Luiza P. Bonifacio, Wilsa Marela A. Pineda, Kaila Vanessa B. Sanggalang, Rena Alyssa S. Soriano.

ABSTRACT Tourism and Hospitality education in the Philippines is very important because it supports the tourism development and ensures the continuous supply of quality human resources to meet the overwhelming industry requirements. Schools with tourism and hospitality courses make great efforts to develop internship programs, in order to bridge the gap between the academic experience of the students and the employers' requirement. Internship was originated in the US in the early 1900s. It is work-based educational experiences that relate the specific jobs, positions, occupations, or professions. . The school released the students for part of the school day or school year. Students will work a variable number of required hours depending on the company on a part time basis-for a designated period. Student interns will experience one-on-one and on-the-job training in a work setting from skilled professionals, who provide the expertise and knowledge of their field. Practical experience, new skills and improved attitudes and behaviors are some of the positive educated outcomes of internships. Based on experiential learning, student internships represent a unique, innovative and non-traditional educational approach. Internships take students into the real world to internship site for experiences in the field. Internships that are high-quality and challenging have proven to be an effective approach that have many advantages and few disadvantages. Both the educator and industry should collaborate closely to develop a well-organized quality internship program to meet the expectation of students in order to attract as many graduated students as possible to start their career in the tourism and hospitality industry. Little updated empirical research has been done in Manila, Philippines context, although a number of studies in the literature emphasize student internship experiences. Therefore, the significance of this study is that it attempts to explore the level of preparedness of 4th year students toward their incoming internship in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitude in the tourism and hospitality industry.