"Internships provide students... with a means to bridge the gap between career expectations developed in the classroom and the reality of real-world employment." (Gault et al., 2000, p.8). This means that gaining work experience would better prepare students for their actual jobs. They would have already experienced what the workplace is like and would be able to adapt to the working environment more quickly thanks to the skills they have acquired. The research by Gault et al. (2000, p.5) shows that trainees had a “higher level of career readiness” in 5 of 13 competency areas assessed. This implies that those with work experience are better prepared for their careers as they have a higher level of skills than those without work experience. This would make them more employable, which is especially beneficial if the sector is highly competitive. However, research by Gault et al. (2000, p.5) is based on a survey of 144 people. This is a small number that may not be representative of the entire workforce. Therefore, the results of this research may not be complete