Towards Online Internship

The PracDis research project was started to develop new online internship methods to address the lack of information and communication technology (ICT) experts in the industry. The PracDis project was planned and started at a time when there was no foresight of an emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition to distance work during the pandemic was a necessity for office-based companies, for example, ICT companies, that wanted to maintain operations. According to the latest research, the majority of companies want to continue with some form of remote work post-pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, the value, importance, and effectiveness of the project increased significantly. Remote work became, in a way, the new normal for health reasons. This paper presents the expectations and needs of companies and students for distance internships and what kind of model takes these into account. Data were collected during spring 2020 through surveys of students (N = 61) and national ICT companies (N = 21). The results showed that both students and companies think positively about distance internships. Initial orientation, progress reviews, and the existence of a support network were considered important. To take into account the above-mentioned factors, the PracDis distance internship concept was developed. The PracDis concept can be adapted globally to the internship ecosystem of any higher education, business, or industry.