EXPLORING FACTORS INFLUENCING INTERNSHIP ENGAGEMENT LEVELS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FIRST-GENERATION AND NON-FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

The objective of this study is to gain a better understanding of the factors influencing internship engagement and determine if there is a notable difference between first-generation students and their non-first-generation counterparts. To achieve this goal, I surveyed students currently engaged in an internship or those who have completed one within the past three years. The findings indicate that there is no significant difference between the two groups in terms of overall internship engagement. However, first-generation students reported experiencing higher levels of work-role fit and psychological meaningfulness. It's worth noting that psychological meaningfulness influences internship engagement.