Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies

This study examined the mediating effect of interns’ perception on the relationship between teaching quality and student work-readiness among 246 graduating college students in Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte. Anchored on Human Capital Theory (Schultz, 1961) and Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986), the research emphasized that quality education and positive internship experiences help develop the skills, confidence, and competencies needed for employment. Using a quantitative, non-experimental descriptive-correlational design with mediation analysis, data were gathered through validated survey questionnaires measuring teaching quality, perception of interns, and student work-readiness. Results revealed that teaching quality (M = 4.34), student work-readiness (M = 4.42), and perception of interns (M = 4.53) were all rated very high. Correlation analysis showed a strong positive relationship between teaching quality and student work-readiness (r = .662), a moderate positive relationship between teaching quality and perception of interns (r = .491), and a strong positive relationship between perception of interns and student work-readiness (r = .729), all significant at p < 0.05. Path analysis confirmed that interns’ perception partially mediated the relationship, with 39.4% of the effect of teaching quality on work-readiness passing through interns’ perception. This means that while teaching quality directly improves work-readiness, it also enhances students’ internship experiences, which further strengthens their preparedness for employment. The findings highlight the importance of high-quality instruction, meaningful internship programs, and strong school-industry collaboration in preparing graduates for the workforce.