The other side of the internship. A study on the perspective of company internship supervisors

Abstract

In the initial training of future educators, the internship and the figure of the company tutor assume a central role in orienting to the profession and acquiring or consolidating knowledge, skills and competences (Miatto, Rossi, & Saltarelli, 2021; Palmieri et al., 2009). The paper will analyse data collected through interviews and questionnaires administered to company tutors regarding the experience of hosting trainees of the bachelor in Educational Sciences of the University of Parma. The outcomes will be problematised in the light of the strengths and criticalities encountered by professionals along the traineeship and the impact that such an experience of welcoming future educators in their work context has on the reflexivity and ongoing professional development of educational teams (Boffo, Han, & Melacarne, 2019; Mortari, 2004).