Background/purpose. Internships are widely adopted as a mechanism to enhance graduate employability, yet their role in shaping student readiness, soft skill development, and digital literacy remains underexamined in Indonesia. Materials/methods. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a survey (n=100) of undergraduate students and in-depth interviews. Quantitative measures assessed self-perceived development across: job readiness, communication, adaptability, collaboration, and digital competence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression techniques. Qualitative narratives were examined through thematic analysis. Results. High mean scores and significant correlations (r = 0.66–0.74) confirmed the positive impact of internships on employability perceptions. Regression analysis identified communication (β = 0.59), adaptability (β = 0.55), and software proficiency (β = 0.56) as key predictors of job readiness. Additionally, 89% of students reported enhanced professional confidence, and 84% gained clarity in their career orientation. Qualitative findings revealed three developmental domains: enhanced role clarity and career orientation, affective and interpersonal skill growth, and digital system navigation. Practical implication: Institutions should strengthen mentorship, contextualize tasks, and embed reflective components to maximize the developmental potential of internships. Conclusion. Internship participation substantially enhances student employability in Indonesia. The originality of this study lies in its empirical integration of statistical data and student narratives. As the first of its kind in this context, it offers a scalable, evidence-based model for internship design that advances student readiness for digitally mediated, skill-intensive labor markets. © The Author(s), 2025.
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