A practical training is a structured off-campus learning to provide students with industrial and professional experience before they go out to work in the real world. The COVID-19 pandemic had forced organisations to be more agile and adapt to crises in difficult times. The purpose of this study is to identify the students' perceptions and the employers’ expectations when the students underwent internship during the COVID-19 pandemic, to identify the various communication skills required at the workplace as well as to explore employers’ expectations on industrial training practices during this challenging period. 100 final year students from UiTM who had completed their internship program were involved in the study. Using a mixed-method approach, the data obtained from questionnaires and interviews were triangulated. The findings of the study highlight that students faced many challenges during their practical training from various aspects namely health and safety, academic and university regulations, language, communication and adapting to the workplace environment. The study also provides insight into the important skills required by employers for practical training. This information is useful for both universities and organisations for a better internship arrangement in the future.
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