A Step Toward the Profession: Results of the Managerial and Methodological Internship of Future Heads of Preschool Institutions

As part of the final stage of the internship, the reporting conference took place on April 22, 2026, involving the m11DO-z group of part-time master’s students of the Faculty of Preschool, Special and Social Education of Berdyansk State Pedagogical University. The internship supervisor was Associate Professor of the Department of Preschool Education, Nataliia Hryhorieva.

The event became an important concluding milestone that allowed students to present the results of their work in preschool institutions and to share their managerial experience, practical observations, and professional conclusions.

The purpose of the internship was to ensure comprehensive immersion of students in the management system of preschool education institutions: from familiarizing themselves with the specifics of the work of heads and methodologists to developing practical skills in performing managerial, analytical, and methodological functions. Students had the opportunity not only to observe but also to participate in planning processes, monitoring educational activities, attending pedagogical councils, conducting internal control, and supporting educators methodologically.

Special attention was paid to the development of competencies essential for modern professionals: the ability to make decisions in conditions of change, work with documentation, implement innovations, conduct research activities, and interact effectively with the teaching staff.

The final stage of the internship included the preparation of reporting documentation and the presentation of short reports accompanied by presentations. Students addressed the following key points:

• the place of internship and the specifics of the institution;
• the availability and accessibility of managerial and methodological documentation;
• support provided by the administration;
• challenges and ways of overcoming them;
• positive aspects and personal professional achievements;
• participation in events for educators and organizational activities;
• the connection between internship tasks and the topics of their master’s theses;
• career-guidance activities conducted during the internship;
• vision of potential improvements in the work of the preschool administration and suggestions for enhancing the internship program.

In their presentations, the master’s students emphasized that the internship became an important stage of professional development, helping them to recognize their managerial potential and form readiness to work as heads or methodologists of preschool institutions. Many students noted that real immersion into the administrative processes enabled them to understand both the complexity and significance of managerial work in the field of preschool education.

The conference concluded with a lively discussion during which the students exchanged ideas regarding the improvement of internship organization and the preparation of future preschool administrators. The event not only summarized the results but also became a platform for professional growth and the formation of a new managerial culture among young specialists.

Doctor of Philosophy, Associate Professor of the Department of Preschool Education Nataliia Hryhorieva