Purpose: This study aims to identify and understand the quality of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) final-year students who began their studies with an online learning approach during the COVID-19 pandemic in internship programmes. It examines the development of these interns' quality in terms of technical skills, analytical skills, attitudes and ethics during the internship from the perspective of industry supervisors. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was employed, and 280 industry supervisors of USIM final-year students undergoing internship programs in 2024 participated in this study. Findings: The findings reveal that industry supervisors view USIM interns as having high levels of skills, attitudes and ethics, despite undergoing an online learning approach and having limited industrial engagement and exposure due to the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the academic background and industry sector of industry supervisors significantly influenced their views on USIM interns' skills, attitudes and ethics. Originality/value: This study is believed to be pioneering in identifying the quality of interns post-COVID-19, particularly in terms of skills, attitudes and ethics.