WEST프로그램의 대학생 해외인턴십의 가치

The Value of Student Overseas Internship in the WEST Program

이 연구는 미국에서 해외인턴십을 성공적으로 마친 한국의 대학생 33명을 대상으로 질적 연구방법을 사용하여 해외인턴십의 가치가 무엇인지 분석하는데 초점을 맞추었다. 이를 위해 연구자는 선행연구 분석을 통해 인턴십 가치를 범주화하고 구조화된 질문지를 제작하여 대학생 참가자에 대한 심층면담을 실시하였다. 이 연구에서 밝혀진 대학생 해외인턴십의 가치는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 해외인턴십은 대학생 참가자의 자기효능감 및 영어능력을 크게 향상시킨다. 둘째, 해외인턴십은 대학생들의 취업에 직접적으로 또는 간접적으로 도움을 준다. 셋째, 미국에서 해외인턴십은 한국대학생들에게 선진기업문화를 체험할 수 있는 기회를 제공한다. 넷째, 해외인턴십은 대학생들에게 자아 성찰의 기회를 제공하며 대학생들의 세계관을 변화시킨다.

The purpose of this study is to explore the value of overseas internship in terms of the university student s perspective. The WEST program, which is a maximum of one and one half year internship program including English language training, professional internship experience, and travel in the United States, was closely investigated. The researcher interviewed thirty three student returnees with a structured questionnaire to investigate the value of international internships. Recorded data was analyzed by thematic analysis method. The results are as follows: Firstly, it appears that internship participants develop self confidence and a strong sense of self. Through confronting new challenges and tackling them with their own strategy, students appear to foster a sense of achievement and independence. Secondly, it shows that student participants have an opportunity to increase their English ability through internships. Many note that they are under pressure to work in English speaking surroundings, and therefore have enhanced their English proficiency mostly in listening and speaking venues. Thirdly, it appears that student participation in the WEST program is directly or indirectly a positive factor for employment after graduation. It suggests that internship experience on a student s resume becomes a noticeable factor for an eye of prospective employers. Fourthly, student participants have reported that they had an opportunity to learn a corporate culture in the U.S. The students observe that U.S companies have embraced a open approach to work relations, communication, working hours and interaction. Fifthly, students gain a knowledge of self that is revealing and sometimes painful. Through reflective thinking, students demonstrate that they have found current self or who am I? , and further discovered their future self or What shall I do? . Sixthly, the overseas internship experience offers students a moment of broadening their views and transforming their frame of reference.