The role of internship mentors in office administration practicum: a qualitative analysis

Abstract

Abstrak: Magang dalam konteks pendidikan profesional tidak hanya berfungsi untuk meningkatkan keterampilan teknis, tetapi juga mengembangkan keterampilan lunak seperti komunikasi, kolaborasi, dan kemampuan beradaptasi. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis peran mentor magang dalam pelaksanaan magang administrasi perkantoran mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Administrasi Perkantoran (PAP) FKIP Universitas Sebelas Maret angkatan 2021. Metode yang digunakan adalah kualitatif fenomenologi dengan teknik purposive sampling. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam kepada informan yang relevan dan dianalisis menggunakan model interaktif Miles dan Huberman, meliputi reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa peran mentor mencakup bimbingan, monitoring, dukungan penyusunan laporan, penilaian kinerja, tanggung jawab program, serta pembentukan hubungan profesional yang menciptakan suasana kerja positif. Meskipun terdapat perbedaan pola pendampingan pada setiap mentor, secara umum peran tersebut berkontribusi pada efektivitas pembelajaran mahasiswa, khususnya dalam mengintegrasikan teori dengan praktik serta mengembangkan keterampilan teknis maupun soft skills. Namun demikian, diperlukan peningkatan konsistensi monitoring, koordinasi, dan proporsionalitas beban kerja agar manfaat program magang dapat dirasakan secara optimal dan merata oleh seluruh mahasiswa.

Kata kunci: bimbingan; kualitatif; mentoring

Abstract: Professional education internships serve not only to enhance technical skills but also to develop soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and adaptability. This study examined the role of internship mentors in supporting office administration internships among students in the Office Administration Education program at Sebelas Maret University (Class of 2021). A qualitative phenomenological approach with purposive sampling was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with relevant informants and analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, encompassing data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Results indicated that mentors' roles included guidance, monitoring, report preparation support, performance evaluation, program accountability, and the establishment of professional relationships that fostered positive work environments. Although mentorship patterns varied among mentors, these roles generally contributed to students' learning effectiveness, particularly in integrating theory with practice and developing both technical and soft skills. However, improvements in monitoring consistency, coordination, and workload proportionality are needed to ensure that internship benefits are optimally and equitably experienced by all students.

Keywords: internship; mentorship; qualitative research