INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN SOFT SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR INTERIOR DESIGN MAJOR STUDENTS

Abstract

The development of soft skills for students helps them in developing student's creativity and innovation. Soft skills development has long been an important part of education, which is based on clear provisions as stated in UU Nomor 20 Tahun 2003 Tentang Sistem Pendidikan Nasional, Bab I, Pasal 1 Ayat 1. Internships or work practices provide learning opportunities for students to get further education and direction on becoming a competent designer in designing buildings, organizing rooms, and implementing other projects in the company of their choice. Through this experience, students are able to gain insight and practical experience on how things actually work in the field. This will be able to provide an overview of students who will later do internships by developing soft skills in the world of interior design. The research method used is a descriptive qualitative approach and an intrinsic case study method with a case focus on the implementation of the internship program. The results showed that the Internship Program is an initiative that suits the needs of students in preparing themselves to interact with the community. Its implementation has proven effective in encouraging students to significantly apply their knowledge with creativity and collaborate with the community. Knowing how the process of developing interior design, working with a team, applying interior concepts, participating in a discussion, measuring and managing visits, and even communicating directly with clients. With the internship program, the insights gained from this experience are very diverse because interns can directly follow and participate in the process of an interior design project.