Date of Award

5-2021

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology

Department

Information and Decision Sciences

First Reader/Committee Chair

Dyck, Harold

Abstract

This culminating experience project explored online internships and video conferencing security. The research questions asked focus on the effectiveness of online versus in-person internships, internship curriculum, third-party internships, video-conferencing applications and their security, advantages of micro-internships, and benefits of internships to all stakeholders. To answer these research questions, data was collected on the security and encryption of video conferencing, and a literature review was conducted using the following terms: Employment, Internship, Video, Video conferencing, Virtual, Online, Electronic, Technology, and Security. Key findings include: (1) Online internships can provide employers with a global pool of employable candidates with increased diversity. (2) Video conferencing was vulnerable to many different types of attacks, including zoom bombing and escalation of privilege. (3) Online internships seem to be only effective if the internship coordinators have clear outcomes and planned activities. Coordinators should also schedule recreational meetings to avoid burnout. (4) Micro-Internships are a preferred option for students who do not have time for a three to six-month internship. Still, there are concerns that outsourcing full-time positions to those shorter project-based could result in gig work. (4) The future of online internships based on observing companies returning to the office is that a mix of online and in-person is in our future. The conclusions are that online internships can succeed given the correct structure and video conferencing software to communicate and build relationships effectively. Areas that need to be explored further are the third-party internship provider’s success to evaluate whether their solution is benefiting students and the job market. Another area for future study is the impact of the standard of internet speed on online internships’ success.

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