Bridging the Gap: A Mixed-Methods Study of Engineering Internships Through Surveys and Interviews

Abigail Nichole Lehto; Ning Fang

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Conference: 2024 ASEE-GSW
Location: Canyon, Texas
Publication Date: March 10, 2024
Start Date: March 10, 2024
End Date: March 12, 2024
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--45366
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/45366
Download Count: 15

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Paper Authors

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Abigail Nichole Lehto Utah State University

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Abigail Lehto is a PhD student studying engineering education at Utah State University. She has a M.S. in engineering education and a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, both from Utah State University. Abigail's research interests are engineering research with underrepresented groups, and industry-academia connections in engineering.

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Ning Fang Utah State University

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Ning Fang is a Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Utah State University, U.S.A. He has taught a variety of courses at both graduate and undergraduate levels, such as engineering dynamics, metal machining, and design for manufacturing

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Abstract

This paper is submitted for the third track of the ASEE Gulf Southwest Conference 2024, Global/Industry/Community Collaboration, specifically for its two topics on Empowering Engineering and Computer Science Education and Research as well as Community and Industry Engagement. Many college students seek internship experiences during their education to gain experience in an industry setting before graduation. Relevant research indicates that most engineering students perceive their internship experience as positive and report that internships help them learn how industry jobs operate. However, the existing research has two important gaps. First, most research relies on questionnaire surveys only with no subsequent interviews. Interviews provide more in-depth information on student experience. Second, the questionnaire survey instrument employed in the existing research focuses on only one aspect of student internship experience, such as either technical or non-technical skills. This study addresses these two research gaps by developing and implementing a comprehensive questionnaire survey, followed by semi-structured interviews with student interns. Therefore, this study provides new insights into specific benefits and challenges engineering students are experiencing in industry internships. Our overall research question is: How do engineering students perceive an industry internship experience? Sampling for this research was completed via quota sampling. Students who had an internship in Summer 2023, organized by our research team, were sent an email invitation to participate. Those interested in participating in the study were sent an Informed Consent form to sign. This yielded a group of students in mechanical and aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and biological engineering. Two questionnaire surveys were administered at the middle and end points of student internships, respectively. Quantitative survey results show an overall positive experience with engineering industry internships from both students and their industry supervisors. Students reported a mean of 4.14 out of 5 for overall experience, and 4.64 out of 5 for the perception of industry internships. Students also reported learning gains in technical, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and understanding of industry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the end of student internships. Qualitative data collected from the interviews was grouped into the following categories: experience, benefits, and challenges. Some students were offered long-term employment positions at the companies they interned with, and they saw this as a considerable benefit of completing an internship. Another benefit students highlighted was being able to be exposed to a field of work, and thus make decisions on if they wanted to work in this field or a different one in the future. Students reported on how the challenges they faced helped them grow individually, and thus still contributed to a positive internship experience. The main challenge students faced was the level of organization of an industry setting versus an education setting, which students were more familiar with. Students were used to the structure of academia and wanted that in industry internships as well. Often students were able to overcome this challenge by being proactive and communicating the challenge with their industry supervisors.

Citation
Format

Lehto, A. N., & Fang, N. (2024, March), Bridging the Gap: A Mixed-Methods Study of Engineering Internships Through Surveys and Interviews Paper presented at 2024 ASEE-GSW, Canyon, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--45366

TY - CPAPER
AB - This paper is submitted for the third track of the ASEE Gulf Southwest Conference 2024, Global/Industry/Community Collaboration, specifically for its two topics on Empowering Engineering and Computer Science Education and Research as well as Community and Industry Engagement.
Many college students seek internship experiences during their education to gain experience in an industry setting before graduation. Relevant research indicates that most engineering students perceive their internship experience as positive and report that internships help them learn how industry jobs operate. However, the existing research has two important gaps. First, most research relies on questionnaire surveys only with no subsequent interviews. Interviews provide more in-depth information on student experience. Second, the questionnaire survey instrument employed in the existing research focuses on only one aspect of student internship experience, such as either technical or non-technical skills.
This study addresses these two research gaps by developing and implementing a comprehensive questionnaire survey, followed by semi-structured interviews with student interns. Therefore, this study provides new insights into specific benefits and challenges engineering students are experiencing in industry internships. Our overall research question is: How do engineering students perceive an industry internship experience?
Sampling for this research was completed via quota sampling. Students who had an internship in Summer 2023, organized by our research team, were sent an email invitation to participate. Those interested in participating in the study were sent an Informed Consent form to sign. This yielded a group of students in mechanical and aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and biological engineering.
Two questionnaire surveys were administered at the middle and end points of student internships, respectively. Quantitative survey results show an overall positive experience with engineering industry internships from both students and their industry supervisors. Students reported a mean of 4.14 out of 5 for overall experience, and 4.64 out of 5 for the perception of industry internships. Students also reported learning gains in technical, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and understanding of industry.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the end of student internships. Qualitative data collected from the interviews was grouped into the following categories: experience, benefits, and challenges. Some students were offered long-term employment positions at the companies they interned with, and they saw this as a considerable benefit of completing an internship. Another benefit students highlighted was being able to be exposed to a field of work, and thus make decisions on if they wanted to work in this field or a different one in the future.
Students reported on how the challenges they faced helped them grow individually, and thus still contributed to a positive internship experience. The main challenge students faced was the level of organization of an industry setting versus an education setting, which students were more familiar with. Students were used to the structure of academia and wanted that in industry internships as well. Often students were able to overcome this challenge by being proactive and communicating the challenge with their industry supervisors.

AU - Abigail Nichole Lehto
AU - Ning Fang
CY - Canyon, Texas
DA - 2024/03/10
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Bridging the Gap: A Mixed-Methods Study of Engineering Internships Through Surveys and Interviews

UR - https://peer.asee.org/45366
DO - 10.18260/1-2--45366
ER -