David Jones

Insights on Internships from Professor Jones (IOI)

Business EN ↓ 31 episodes

This podcast is designed for students majoring in hospitality and tourism management who have an internship or work experience requirement—including those with an event management or MICE emphasis, as it's known in many parts of the world. Over the years, I've experienced every aspect of the internship process: as a hospitality professional hiring and managing interns, as a faculty member supervising students in the field, and as an academic administrator developing internship-based curriculum. Most recently, I've even worked part-time at the front desk of a local resort hotel. So, I've experi...

Author

David Jones

Episodes

[Floundations] Finding an Internship (Before) 12.07.2022 9:02

Professor Jones walks students through the process of finding an internship — offering both traditional and creative strategies. He emphasizes the value of looking beyond typical roles and encourages curiosity, resourcefulness, and broad industry exposure. Key Takeaways: Use traditional resources like campus career centers, job boards, and past employers — but also consider guest speakers, career...

[Foundations] People Relevance (During) 11.07.2022 12:38

Why observing people — both employees and customers — is essential to making the most of an internship. From evaluating empowerment and leadership styles to understanding service recovery systems and emotional intelligence, students are encouraged to pay attention to how human behavior drives the guest experience. It’s a call to elevate awareness and prepare for leadership through active observati...

[Foundations] Challenge of Innovation (During) 28.04.2022 10:21

Professor Jones challenges student interns to become drivers of innovation during their work experience. Drawing on hospitality tech trends and service delivery examples, he offers practical ways interns can identify improvement opportunities and bring fresh Gen Z insight to real-world problems. Key Takeaways: Students can lead service innovation by pairing tech with improved delivery systems. Use...

[Foundations] Internship Learning Continuum (During & After) 28.04.2022 8:14

Introducing the Internship Learning Continuum — a practical three-stage model that helps students reflect, grow, and think more strategically throughout their internship. Designed to guide both self-directed learning and academic structure, this framework supports interns in progressing from task execution to managerial awareness and business-level thinking. Key Takeaways: The Internship Learning...

[Foundations] Final Project or Capstone Project (During & After) 28.04.2022 10:25

How students can take their internship experience to the next level by developing a final or capstone project. Professor Jones explains the difference between the two formats, offers strategies for identifying meaningful projects, and shares real examples of students who made a lasting impact on their host organizations. Key Takeaways: A final project is often done during the internship and focuse...

[Foundations] Reflections (After) 28.04.2022 8:50

Professor Jones guides students through the importance of reflecting after an internship — not just on what they did, but on how the experience connects to business objectives, personal growth, and academic learning. He introduces ways to create a personal log, written summary, or even a career portfolio to turn internship insights into long-term direction. Key Takeaways: Reflection is a vital fin...