Intern, previously used in the medical profession to define a person with a degree but

without a license to practice, became a term for a physician in training following World
War I, when medical school was no longer seen as preparation enough for practice.
Later, the word migrated to politics as an alternative to the term apprentice as a
reference to those interested in learning about careers in government.
The educational value and importance of student internships have long been recognised
by both academics and the practitioners as an important preparatory step for a variety
of careers such as medicine, law journalism and education. The accountancy profession
has also recognised the importance of internship as part of the accounting curriculum.
As early as 1952, the American Accounting Association (AAA) acknowledged the benefit
of a period of practical training to be incorporated into the academic preparation of an
accountant. The AICPA (1978) has continued its endorsement by repeated references to
internship programs as a desirable element in the educational curriculum for entry into
the accounting profession.
There has been much debate in the local media highlighting the issue that the market is
unable to absorb the tremendous increase in the number of graduates seeking
employment. Some of the reasons given for this predicament include a mismatch
between job vacancies and courses taken by these graduates, lack of soft skills training,
and more importantly; the graduates have no relevant work experience. Furthermore,
reports from those in the working profession indicate that there is an increasing
difference between what students are being taught and what happens in the real world.
One way of resolving these issues is perhaps, by making internship compulsory as part
of the requirements before a degree can be conferred.
According to Rusnah Muhamad et al (2009) Increasingly, internship has become an
essential component of the undergraduate programme. It provides students with a
smooth transition from the on-campus environment to the working environment. It is
often viewed as a ‘win-win’ situation for both the intern and the intern’s employers.
Students are able to learn about the profession and gain practical experience while
simultaneously being able to reflect on what they have learned in the classroom.
Some significant benefits to pursuing an accounting internship:
Provides clarity in your future coursework
Determination of your career path
Resume building
Evaluating an employer
(Smith & Howard, 2017)
http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1913474,00.html