Employability, defined as an individual's ability to obtain, maintain, and advance employment opportunities throughout their career, is considered a fundamental determinant of success in higher education. In this regard, learning experiences in real workplace settings, particularly internships, can play a crucial role in shaping students’ perceptions of the importance of skills required in the labor market. The present study aimed to prioritize the employability skills required by university students and to examine the role of internship experience in shaping students’ preferences and priorities regarding these skills by comparing students with and without internship experience using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The study population consisted of 140 students from Shiraz University, divided into two groups: those with internship experience and those without. Data were collected through a pairwise comparison questionnaire and analyzed using the AHP method. The findings revealed that among students without internship experience, communication and teamwork skills were assigned the highest priorities. In contrast, among students with internship experience, entrepreneurship-related skills, such as business start-up and business plan development, ranked highest. Furthermore, the results suggest that internship experience can shift students’ focus from general employability skills toward more practical and business-oriented competencies. The findings highlight the significant role of internship experience in reshaping students’ skill priorities and suggest that internships can serve as an effective mechanism for enhancing the quality of higher education and improving students’ career readiness.