Barriers to Internship Opportunities for First-Generation Students: Comparing Community College and Four-Year University Students

• In Event: Navigating College Networks: Engagement, Belonging, and Resource Access for Diverse Student Populations

Abstract

Despite the potential of internships to be transformative for first-generation students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and racial minority groups by providing a platform for career development, many students cannot participate even if they want to. This study highlights the barriers they face in accessing internships by using 2,244 responses for descriptive analyses and logistic regressions. Community college students struggle with lack of information, while university students contend with supply-demand issues. Both groups also face common barriers such as heavy course loads, family-related issues, and logistical problems. Interventions for different educational settings can create a supportive environment for first-generation students, such as improving career guidance platform with up-to-date information, providing academic mentoring, and strengthening partnerships between institutions and industries.

Author

• Hee Song, University of Wisconsin - Madison