From symbolic inclusion to substantive integration: state internship programme in Post-Soviet Georgia

Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of Georgia's State Internship Programme for graduates from non-Georgian language schools enrolled in the “1 + 4 Programme,” by examining how it supports their professional integration, analysed through the lenses of representative bureaucracy theory and Work-Integrated Learning frameworks. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative design combining interviews, focus groups, document analysis, and descriptive statistical data. Findings While the programme enhances language proficiency and confidence, it has shown limited capacity to generate sustainable employment. This persistent gap reflects weak institutional anchoring and fragmented governance. Internships often devolve into language acquisition functions, where participants are valued for translation rather than professional competence, limiting meaningful integration. Such dynamics inadvertently marginalise 1 + 4 Programme beneficiaries, undermining the “1 + 4 Programme's” broader objectives. Passive experiences persist due to limited university involvement and inconsistent mentorship. Furthermore, the 2024 “compensation paradox” reveals that financial incentives have not improved participation, as they have contributed to increase institutional selectivity without addressing underlying structural barriers or providing clear recruitment pathways. Practical implications Highlights the need for integrated, collaborative internship systems with clear employment pathways and stronger academic alignment. It also points to the value of a two-tiered internship structure and a co-funded mentorship model as mechanisms for improving the programme's effectiveness and sustainability. Originality/value Links internship design to structural inequalities, arguing for a shift away from the integration policies that reproduce exclusion, advancing a systemic, outcome-oriented model of work-integrated learning governance.