Exploring the local enactment of internships in secondary TVET in Chile: interpretations, adjustments, barriers and enablers

Purpose This study examines how secondary TVET schools in Chile implement the internship policy. Drawing on a policy enactment framework, it explores how school actors recontextualise internships to suit their local contexts, and the barriers and enablers they encounter. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a qualitative methodology, with data collected through 37 interviews with internship coordinators at secondary TVET schools across multiple cities within an administrative region in Chile. Findings The study shows that the aim of internships can be interpreted along two interrelated dimensions: instrumentality (low or high) and the focus of that instrumentality (competency validation or employability). These interpretations shape how the policy is enacted and, in turn, how students are allocated to different workplaces. It also identifies the types of barriers and enablers affecting the management and supervision of internships at the local level, including the challenges schools face in engaging with employers. Originality/value The study provides further insights into the local dynamics that affect the implementation of internships by TVET schools from a policy enactment perspective. It goes beyond treating internships as a uniform policy instrument, showing different interpretations of their aim, how these interpretations shape actions with students and employers and offering a contextualised perspective on the barriers and enablers affecting the process.