For first-time internship aspirants, they cannot help but wonder if choosing the right company to intern with will eventually lead to fruitful employment. The reality may sink harder than it seems, but sometimes employment may not be the primary goal of interns. One of the pathways in the momentous journey towards completing their course is undergoing a few months of internship with a company of their choice or following the recommendation of their institution’s internship counsellor.

In the current age of career inclinations fuelled by the success of content creators or the flexibility of gig economy jobs, members of Generation Z are becoming highly unmotivated at the thought of working in a structured environment and crave the sense of work freedom that they see many others have achieved. Despite internships being a training ground for the students to practise their knowledge and skills, those embarking on their internships are choosing a company that could give them their desired working hours, a high allowance, independence, or possibly all of these. Are these students being demanding or are they mistaken in their expectations, especially considering that they are applying for an internship, which is a temporary work-based learning experience before completing their studies? There is no right or wrong answer, but in some ways, companies have to start paying attention to the gaps in expectations which may be attributed to the generational thinking gaps. Although more research could be conducted on the mindsets of those working in the hospitality industry and comparisons made between Generation Y and Generation Z, a number of studies have pointed out significant findings that can be further discussed.

Interestingly, the current supervisors and managers in the hospitality and tourism industry are increasingly from Generation Y, who are not far off in age from Generation Z. Despite the small age difference, a paradigm shift exists between Generation Y and Generation Z. According to Grossman (2018), the members of Generation Y are avid team players who make decisions based on collaborative discussions. In the hospitality and tourism workforce, being a team player is a desirable trait as it helps with determining quick and effective solutions to issues that can easily occur from recurring people-centric interactions. Dulin (2008) asserted that Generation Y members seek positive interpersonal relations in the workplace. On the other hand, Generation Z members are known to be sceptics who find it hard to trust others due to their age advancement in a time of financial and political crises, as reported by The Wall Street Journal (2018). Presumably, Generation Z members may find it difficult to thrive in a team environment due to their lack of trust in others to guide them, despite having supervisors who earnestly want to train them and harness their potential. Research by Adecco (2016) supports the “individualistic” trait that Generation Z members possess, in terms of the reluctance to engage in teamwork and a preference for independent tasks rather than being micromanaged. This signals a potential misalignment in workplace values between the supervisory cohorts of Generation Y and the intern cohorts of Generation Z.

Moving forward, in order to entice young aspirants to pursue a career in the hospitality and tourism industry, their internship stint must be a motivational experience. The popular saying “No Pain, No Gain” may not apply to Generation Z interns because this generation does not like intense pressure just to succeed as they value self-worth and self-respect (Sakdiyakorn, Golubovskaya & Solnet, 2021). Hospitality talent managers can leverage the aspect of “self-worth” by highlighting the work and leisure opportunities at their establishment during “open days” or interview sessions. Work and leisure opportunities like dining discounts, accommodation discounts, work trips and wellness programmes are highly attractive to potential interns when choosing a specific establishment. Not to mention, the prospect of working internationally as a full-time employee at the establishment’s overseas properties may entice young aspirants to pursue a hospitality career in the near future. To support the “individualistic” trait of Generation Z interns, allowing them the flexibility to opt for departments based on their interests could lead to a motivational experience for the interns and present the establishment in a positive light.

Additionally, hospitality institutions have a pivotal role to play in preparing students to embrace the hospitality workforce. Embedding internships in the curriculum is definitely essential, but developing a sustainable approach to assisting the industry in retaining talent is an ongoing obligation. The key point is inevitably the development of soft skills in the service mindset, interpersonal communication and workforce readiness. In this way, Generation Z students will blossom as future hospitality professionals, not conforming to the norms but transforming themselves into dynamic individuals through their internships.