Despite computer science (CS) students’ widespread participation in internships, few studies have examined how internship experiences impact career decision-making. Because women are severely underrepresented within CS, understanding how internship experiences impact career decision-making can provide critical insight into women’s career development processes and longevity in the field. Using the concept of career self-management within social cognitive career theory as a theoretical framework and standpoint feminism as a critical lens, we conducted interviews with 13 women CS majors to learn how internship experiences influenced their career decisions. Findings reveal three major career development process themes, including questioning technical competence, navigating gendered “microclimates,” and reflecting on careers in CS. While internships largely affirmed women’s career interests in CS, participants also navigated challenging gendered dynamics and often made career decisions directly influenced by these experiences. Findings inform how CS educators, career development practitioners, and employers may better develop inclusive internship cultures in computing.

尽管计算机科学 (CS) 学生广泛参与实习，但很少有研究研究实习经历如何影响职业决策。由于女性在 CS 中的代表性严重不足，因此了解实习经历如何影响职业决策可以为女性的职业发展过程和该领域的寿命提供重要的见解。以社会认知职业理论中的职业自我管理概念为理论框架，以女性主义立场为批判视角，我们对 13 名 CS 专业女性进行了访谈，以了解实习经历如何影响她们的职业决策。调查结果揭示了三个主要的职业发展过程主题，包括质疑技术能力、驾驭性别“小气候”以及反思 CS 职业。虽然实习在很大程度上肯定了女性对 CS 的职业兴趣，但参与者也应对具有挑战性的性别动态，并经常做出直接受这些经历影响的职业决策。调查结果为 CS 教育工作者、职业发展从业者和雇主如何更好地发展计算机领域的包容性实习文化提供了信息。