Exploring Internship’s Role in Non-Virtual Social Capital Development: A Gen Z Student Perspective

Abstract

Gen Z students often complete internships as they prepare to enter the workforce (Maloni et al., 2019; Shtembari & Elgün, 2023). However, because the population relies heavily on digital technology to develop social relationships, Gen Z students may not have the social skills to develop non-virtual social capital (Fernandez et al., 2023; Henry & Shannon, 2023; Osorio & Madero, 2024). Existing research focuses on Gen Z individuals as students (Maloni et al., 2019; Pichler et al., 2021; Shtembari & Elgün, 2023). However, existing literature lacks specifications about Gen Z students’ strategies for gaining non-virtual social capital through internship experiences. This research explored Gen Z students’ perceptions of the role of internships in developing non-virtual social capital, supported by social capital theory, social constructivist theory, and the concept of digital natives. The researcher utilized a phenomenological qualitative research approach. The thematic data analysis approach sought to uncover themes from one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Criterion-based purposive sampling was utilized to ensure that the participants met specific qualifying criteria (Hurst, 2023).

The study consisted of seven Gen Z student participants from a small private liberal arts institution in Northern California. Data were analyzed using the interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) method and yielded ten themes. Participant data indicated a perceived relationship between internship participation and the development of non-virtual social capital. The finding supported existing literature about internship participation, while adding new information to existing literature about perceptions of the first-generation student internship experience and Gen Z’s use of digital technology and social media for professional networking.