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Internships in Iraq: An Overview of the Transition into the Labor Market, the Existing Internship Models, Benefits, and Challenges
KAPITA’s Research TeamSeptember 21, 202520 min read
Article Summary
Internships are key to bridging Iraq’s university-to-work gap; strong pilots exist (Careem, Miswag, IREX, telcos), but scaling is held back by weak CDCs, low incentives/budgets, and rote state placements. The fix: pay interns, make programs skills-first (hard/soft), adopt hybrid summer models, professionalize CDCs, deepen company–NGO partnerships, and raise student awareness.
Internships in Iraq: An Overview of the Transition into the Labor Market, the Existing Internship Models, Benefits, and Challenges
KAPITA’s Research Team
Report Summary
Background
Understanding internships in Iraq requires examining the country's education system and its current challenges. Introduced in the 1950s, higher education aimed to modernize education and foster social, political, and economic development through science and research. However, years of conflict have severely hindered its progress. The higher education was isolated from international advancements, with limited access to new materials, technologies, and opportunities for academic pursuits abroad.
As of today, there are 35 public universities and 70 private universities and colleges across Central Iraq. In the KRG, the total number of universities is 35, of which 18 are public. Although only eight public universities have been established in Central Iraq since 2011, private universities and colleges have filled that gap with 45 establishments.
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR) introduced the Supervision and Scientific Evaluation Apparatus to uplift higher education standards. It aims to boost Iraqi universities' global rankings, establish a national quality assurance and accreditation association, enhance institutional quality, and pursue various development objectives.
Over the past decades, the number of graduates from public and private universities has gradually increased, accompanied by a growing number of private and public universities across the country.
The Tendency toward the Public Sector
From 2004 to 2020, salaries and pensions increased by 400%, and public sector employment tripled. Additionally, between 2006 and 2018, the average public sector salaries rose by 134%, while labor productivity only increased by 12%.
Security challenges and political instability have reduced job opportunities in the private sector, exacerbated by the lack of enforcement of Iraqi Labor Law No. (37) of 2015. Consequently, there is a cultural inclination towards the public sector, with a prevalent mindset among university graduates of dependence on government employment. The inclination towards public sector employment is evident among Iraqis, especially university graduates, who are more inclined toward the public sector due to job security, pensions, and shorter working hours.
Inadequate Educational Institutions
University education barely contributes to the preparation and development of the labor force. The majority of the curriculum needs to be updated to fulfill the market requirements. Iraqi universities also lack extracurricular activities, such as student clubs and volunteering activities, which can be highly educational and can promote creativity among students.
What Is an Internship?
Definition
A typical fresh university graduate who aspires to work in their field of study or build a career usually begins with an internship. An internship is a period of work experience that aims to provide meaningful experience -skills and knowledge- to graduates in certain occupations or professions. Internships could be paid or not and have a specific time and location. However, an entry-level job typically is a lower position job that may or may not require a college degree. It is the type of job that job seekers with minimal experience or fresh university graduates apply to.
Why Internships Are Needed?
Internships offer graduates invaluable real-world experience in their chosen field or specialty, facilitating the acquisition of skills and knowledge through exposure to the working environment and engagement with various responsibilities.
Moreover, internships serve as a crucial tool for enhancing resumes, particularly for fresh graduates aiming to stand out in the competitive job market. By showcasing internships, candidates increase their chances of securing job interviews, as employers increasingly value such experiences as indicators of a candidate's preparedness and commitment.
Furthermore, internships provide a self-evaluation phase, enabling interns to assess their strengths, weaknesses, and career aspirations. Through this process, interns gain insights into their career paths, refining their goals and identifying the necessary skills for success in their chosen field. Interactions push trainees to sharpen existing soft skills and develop new ones, either in an office or on a site.
The Role of Internships in the Transition into Worklife
Internships play an important role in transitioning individuals into the workforce by fostering a shift from a student to an employee mentality. They offer practical training that cultivates professionalism, adaptability, and cooperation skills essential for the workplace. Moreover, internships enhance students' eligibility for employment, particularly in the private sector, by allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. From an employer's perspective, internships and learning programs yield benefits such as heightened productivity and the attraction of top talent, as revealed by surveys on Learning and Development Plans.
Internship Cases in the Iraqi Private Sector
- Careem Academy:
This internship program targets recent university graduates aiming to enhance their skills and knowledge in the private sector. Over three months, interns receive comprehensive training and mentorship in various departments. They are assigned specialized mentors and undergo evaluation, including job interview practice, to identify strengths and weaknesses. The program covers expenses and offers financial compensation to interns. In addition, Careem has the Support Team Program, which is a paid one-year contract where interns undergo comprehensive onboarding and training, and Careem Ambassador offers university students personal and professional development with monthly financial support.
- Miswag Mothers Program:
In 2022, Miswag initiated an internship program for mothers re-entering the workforce after maternity gaps. It aims to up-skill and reintegrate them into the labor market, providing relevant skills for today's job market and facilitating their transition into the private sector.
- Miswag Colleagues Program:
This program recruits university students and graduates for a one-month training in Baghdad, comprising training and practical phases. It aims to develop marketing and sales skills through hands-on experience, with financial rewards tied to the number of transactions achieved by interns. In addition, Miswag offered the Student Ambassador Program and Miswage A-Team experience.
- Mselect:
Mselect, a multifaceted agency offering staffing, outsourcing, consultancy, and training services offers 4 to 6 internships annually for university students and graduates, lasting 1-3 months each. Interns gain diverse skills across departments with mentorship. Mselect collaborates with KRG universities and private sector companies for internships as well as provides courses in various areas.
- IREX:
IREX partners with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in KRG and Central Iraq, along with private and public sectors, to enhance internship opportunities. They collaborate with fifty Career Development Centers (CDCs) in public universities, aiming to expand internship programming in the Kurdistan Region and Central Iraq.
In 2019, IREX initiated the International Internship Program, working with CDCs to develop internships in local communities and coach CDC staff on engaging private sector companies. Internships focus on hands-on training, requiring skill application for qualification. In 2022, IRIX had approximately 2400 participating students. Participants of CDC internships reported better employability.
- Asiacell:
The Summer Telecom Training, spanning three months starting every July, aims to enhance interns' technological skills for the job market. Participants from diverse educational backgrounds and universities across Iraq attend this internship. The training covers 77 theory and practice topics on Global Systems for Mobile Communication (GSM). Moreover, Asiacell collaborates with IREX to offer internships to University of Mosul students. The program targets 10-20 fourth-year students with strong academic backgrounds in computer and communication engineering.
- Zain:
Zain's Innovation Campus hosts the DNA Scholarship Group, an annual program by Google Developer Group held during summer vacation. It empowers 50 students, enhancing their programming skills in coding smartphone applications and design, along with training in marketing strategies and project presentation techniques.
- Earthlink:
Earthlink’s summer training program hosts 47 university graduates from different universities to empower students and elevate their skill sets to meet the market’s job requirements. The two-month training enables the interns to acquire new skills, develop existing ones, and gain relevant knowledge. This summer training is part of the Iraqi workforce development program by IREX in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
- Computiq:
Unicoding, a 12-week boot camp for university students and fresh graduates, is supported by Pledges in collaboration with Zain as part of the Zain Youth Program. It offers training in database development, back-end, and app development for Android and iOS systems. The program fosters competition among trainees to cultivate professional software developers.
- Coca-Cola İçecek (CCI Iraq):
In collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Coca-Cola internship offers a year-round program with a three-month duration designed for 3rd and 4th university students. Interns eligibility specifies certain fields of study, such as accounting, English literature/translation, and psychology. The internship takes place in Basra and aims to provide an opportunity to work on practical projects and identify potential future employment.
- Lafarge Holcim:
Lafarge offers internships to university students, and the program is a two-week-long summer program. Throughout the internship, interns are assigned to different departments and fields within the company, such as accounting, human resources, networking, warehouse, and supply chain. The goal is to allow university students to experience and gain insights into the company’s workplace and daily operations.
Implementation Challenges of Internships in the Private Sector
- Low Incentives
One key challenge in implementing internships is the lack of promotion and incentives. Experts suggest that successful internship stories, where interns have benefitted significantly and built successful careers, are not sufficiently highlighted. These success stories could incentivize other companies to invest more in internship programs. However, the lack of public recognition for these achievements means they are not viewed as role models for companies or students seeking internships.
- Lack of Resources
Internship providers encounter challenges with time and facilities. Trainers face stress balancing work duties with internship objectives, needing to dedicate at least 25% of their time. Additionally, accommodating interns becomes difficult for small companies with limited space.
- Absence of Developed Private Sector
Underdevelopment of the private sector in many communities is a challenge. Small and medium businesses dominate, while major corporations like hotels or telecommunication companies are lacking, which typically offer internships. Consequently, students in these areas have limited or no access to internship opportunities. Additionally, there is a lack of awareness about internships' importance, diminishing their value among students and graduates in these communities.
- Inefficient Career Development Centers
While CDCs could facilitate internship programs, their effectiveness is hindered in Iraq due to limited development. Run by few individuals, often part-time professors, CDCs struggle to fully support students, resulting in fewer internship opportunities.
- Outsourcing
Outsourcing skills remain a hurdle to effective internship implementation. Companies often seek expertise from abroad, hindering local workforce development. This practice limits job opportunities for Iraqi students and graduates and discourages investment in training programs.
- Lack of Budget
Financial support for students participating in internship programs is lacking in Iraq. Despite internships being a graduation requirement at public universities, students often receive little to no financial assistance from their institutions.
In private sector entities, budgetary constraints are a significant barrier. According to a report by Mselect on Iraq’s Learning and Development Outlook, 44% of respondents cited budgetary restrictions as the main obstacle. This challenge is particularly pronounced for smaller organizations, with 87.5% of those with fewer than 9 employees and 66.66% of those with 10 to 49 employees reporting budgetary constraints.
Universities Summer Internships
Students in Iraqi public universities must complete a summer internship related to their field of study as a graduation requirement. They are supervised by both a scientific and practical supervisor, with evaluation based on scientific and practical performance (60%) and a final report (40%). Internships occur in state departments or private sector companies, with a passing threshold of 50%. Training typically occurs in the third year of study for 30 days but may extend to 60 days based on specialization, spanning the second and third years.
Current Models
Typically lasting one to two months, internships, often in the public sector, involve a formal request process facilitated by a university supervisor. Additionally, interns undergo performance evaluations by the provider and submit a final report.
Baghdad University offers one to two-month internships in either the public or private sector based on student preference. While end-of-internship reports are not mandatory, training should align with the student's major, and companies must have at least 100 employees. Options include Zain, Asiacell, and Earthlink, with additional workshops available for engineering students.
At the University of Nahrain's College of Engineering Information, Earthlink offers a rigorous 45-day internship program mirroring traditional academic settings. Interns participate in three weekly online sessions, each extending for three hours, covering wireless networking with quizzes. The program concludes with a focus on teamwork skills, work ethics, and a final exam. Meanwhile, the two-month internship comprises two weekly sessions lasting two hours each. It provides a general job market overview and introduces CS50, with minimal testing except for one CS50 practice.
Students of the College of Information Technology were offered training either in Zain Iraq or Asiacell, which students preferred because the private sector would provide actual training compared to the public sector institutions. For one month of training, interns took 10 sessions of theoretical training on the company’s operations. In addition, interns received nearly one hour of real-life experience in the company’s operations.
Main Issues and Shortcomings
- Lack of University Supervision
Despite regulations governing internships, universities, particularly public ones, often lack sufficient supervision to ensure interns meet learning objectives. Additionally, underdeveloped CDCs in public universities hinder effective monitoring of internship completion and effectiveness.
- Incompetent State-Institution Training
Apart from medical training in specialized clinics, students in non-medical fields lack adequate skill development during their internships in government departments or private companies. Government-office interns typically perform routine tasks that offer minimal skill enhancement or knowledge advancement in their field. This environment fails to develop interns' soft and technical skills, leaving them unprepared for the job market.
Recommendations
- Companies should highly take into consideration a win-win equation when implementing an internship program. To create a successful training program, the company should factor in its business needs and the intern’s incentive and reward.
- Public and private universities should effectively restructure CDCs in terms of staff and time required to deliver better services. Due to the lack of time and staff dedicated to CDCs operations, several measures can be implemented to achieve better outcomes. Instead of having part-time professors or lecturers working as CDC staff, there should be a dedicated team with a full-time employment status fulfilling CDC’s objectives. Another approach is having student interns who can internally help with the internship process to shorten the gap in the current staff’s time availability.
- Internship providers should offer financial compensation to their interns. It is undeniable that most graduates struggle financially and are unable to secure a job directly when entering the labor market. Therefore, when compensated in exchange for the effort and time invested into their training program, interns would put much value into what they are accomplishing and would be highly dedicated toward it.
- Companies and government institutions need to build skills-oriented internship programs that specifically target interns’ technical and soft skills. Implementing training models where interns take part in problem-solving practices in exchange for credit rather than theoretical mentorship, job shadowing, or department tours.
- Universities should change the traditional summer training into a hybrid training model with a focus on equipping interns with business skills in various market fields. During summer internships, Interns are assigned to a type of training that is directly related to their majors. This model needs some modifications in terms of the training criteria, where interns learn about marketing, sales, and management, to name a few.
- Companies and NGOs should work together more to create these training programs. Such programs have proven very effective and result-oriented in terms of material, methodology, and outcome. It is important to continue designing and implementing these training programs and expanding into the universities.
- University students must understand the importance of internships on the personal and professional levels. We need to raise awareness among university students regarding the benefits of internships for the skills and experience they offer. This could be accomplished through university campaigns, social gatherings and discussions, and social media.
Article Information
Details
- Author:KAPITA’s Research Team
- Published:September 21, 2025
- Issue:15
- Read Time:20 min
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