Quality internships in the hospitality industry: A way to help address the labor shortage

Abstract Internships can serve as a pipeline to employers and have played an important role in hospitality education programs. The COVID-19 Pandemic has moved many internships online limiting student benefits and options. As the hospitality industry struggles to compete in the post-Coronavirus labor market, it has never been more important to ensure highly satisfying internship experiences. Findings indicate that host sites permitting student interns to be creative and feel appreciated while identifying long-term career opportunities produce more satisfied interns. While satisfaction may be enhanced when supervisors mentor their interns by building strong Leader-Member Exchange relationships, they may not be required for intern satisfaction.