The role of international internships in the vocational education of technical secondary school students

Subject and purpose of work: This study focuses on vocational education. It explores the role of international internships in the vocational education of the students of technical secondary schools. Materials and methods: This study is based on a survey conducted on a sample of 77 students participating in international internships. The survey covered all students of the Technical and Vocational Schools Complex in Suwałki attending vocational internships in Italy. Results: The analysis validated the hypothesis that international internships improve the practical skills of secondary school students and contribute to the development of practical skills and social competences in the international context. Conclusions: The surveyed students declared they were satisfied with their vocational internships and were happy to attend them. They believed that the experience gained in an international environment would definitely have a positive impact on their future career. During the internship, they improved not only the skills specific to their field of expertise, but also their personal and social competences, as well as foreign language skills, specifically in terms of technical vocabulary.