Internship and employability prospects: the case of engineering and technology education in Ethiopia

Purpose Modern internship programs have documented significant progress and ongoing challenges shaping employability. Even though compulsory internships have been in place for nearly two decades, its effect on the employability of interns in Ethiopia has not been examined. While internships are widely recognized as a means to enhance employability, their effectiveness and impact have not been assessed in Ethiopia for over two decades. This study aims to investigate the impact of mandatory internship programs on the employability of engineering and technology students in Ethiopia, addressing gaps in existing literature regarding their effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach The methodology employed a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), fitted with a data collected from 2,719 respondents, including current and recent interns from 24 universities and 105 firms across the country. Findings The findings reveal that internships significantly enhance employability by developing essential entrepreneurial and technical skills, which improve students' problem-solving abilities and increase firm satisfaction (FS). FS is identified as a mediating factor in job attainment. A structured university–industry collaboration policy enhances the relevance of higher education, improves graduate employability and supports the development of entrepreneurial graduates capable of adapting to dynamic labor markets. Originality/value This research is the first attempt to empirically assess the effects of internships on employability in the Ethiopian Engineering and technology education, highlighting the necessity for stronger university-industry partnerships.