Understanding Competencies Transfer During Internships in Undergraduate Industrial Engineering Students: A Case Study at the National University of Táchira, Venezuela

Homero Murzi; Lilian Katherine Sanchez; Bianey Cristina Ruiz Ulloa

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Conference: 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Tampa, Florida
Publication Date: June 15, 2019
Start Date: June 15, 2019
End Date: June 19, 2019
Conference Session: International Division Technical Session 1
Tagged Division: International
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--33475
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/33475
Download Count: 662

Paper Authors

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Homero Murzi Virginia Tech orcid.org/0000-0003-3849-2947

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Homero Murzi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. He holds degrees in Industrial Engineering (BS, MS), Master of Business Administration (MBA) and in Engineering Education (PhD). Homero has 15 years of international experience working in industry and academia. His research focuses on contemporary and inclusive pedagogical practices, industry-driven competency development in engineering, and understanding the barriers that Latinx and Native Americans have in engineering. Homero has been recognized as a Diggs scholar, a Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence fellow, a Diversity scholar, a Fulbright scholar and was inducted in the Bouchet Honor Society.

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Lilian Katherine Sanchez National University of Táchira

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Professor in the Industrial Engineering Department at the National University of Táchira – Venezuela. She received her D.Ed. from the Pedagogical Experimental University "Libertador" - Venezuela. She holds a M.Sc. degree in Human Resources Management from the Catholic University "Andrés Bello" in Caracas - Venezuela and a B.A. in Human Resources Management from the Catholic University of Táchira – Venezuela. Her research interests are teamwork, organizational climate and transfer of knowledge.

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Bianey Cristina Ruiz Ulloa National University of Táchira

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Currently a Full Professor of Industrial Engineering at the National University of Tachira – Venezuela. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska –Lincoln in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. She holds a M.S. degree in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a M.B.A. and B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the National University of Tachira – Venezuela. Her research interests are teamwork, quality management systems, and organizational development. She worked for nine years in the manufacturing and service industry as an Industrial Engineer prior to her academic career.

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Abstract

Keywords: Competencies, transfer of knowledge, internships.

Engineering students at the National University of Tachira in Venezuela have the option to do a semester-long internship with a placement program that the university runs. Research suggests that internships help students develop competencies required by industry and adapt to the workforce by having an understanding of how to apply technical and professional skills in a business environment. Similarly, higher education institutions are expecting that their graduates are able to integrate and apply the knowledge they have learned when facing on-the-job situations. The purpose of this paper is to better understand students’ experiences regarding transfer of knowledge during their professional internships. Data were collected qualitatively using observations and interviews and were analyzed using grounded theory strategies. Participants were (5) Industrial Engineering female students who were doing their professional internship. Students were observed in their job environment and interviewed at different moments to learn about their perceptions regarding the competencies that were required by their industry advisor and those they applied during the development of their internship project. Results suggested that there was a difference between what students perceived as competencies required and what were the competencies they applied. From the students’ point of view, companies required: an ability to communicate with employees and clients; organizing and leading other people’s work; ability to solve problems; ability to understand the production process in short time. The competencies that were actually applied according to the students were: an ability to adjust to the workplace, communication, motivation to learn, proactivity, self-confidence, a disposition to collaborate, honesty and responsibility, and technical skills depending on the project. The study showed a gap between what is perceived by students as required and what they actually had to apply in their daily job. Students perceived the development of attitudinal competencies as the most important aspect of the internship because helped accomplish what was technically required, overcoming their insecurity about how to approach the technical project. Implications for research, administration, and policy are presented.

Citation
Format

Murzi, H., & Sanchez, L. K., & Ruiz Ulloa, B. C. (2019, June), Understanding Competencies Transfer During Internships in Undergraduate Industrial Engineering Students: A Case Study at the National University of Táchira, Venezuela Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. 10.18260/1-2--33475

TY - CPAPER
AB - Keywords: Competencies, transfer of knowledge, internships.

Engineering students at the National University of Tachira in Venezuela have the option to do a semester-long internship with a placement program that the university runs. Research suggests that internships help students develop competencies required by industry and adapt to the workforce by having an understanding of how to apply technical and professional skills in a business environment. Similarly, higher education institutions are expecting that their graduates are able to integrate and apply the knowledge they have learned when facing on-the-job situations. The purpose of this paper is to better understand students’ experiences regarding transfer of knowledge during their professional internships. Data were collected qualitatively using observations and interviews and were analyzed using grounded theory strategies. Participants were (5) Industrial Engineering female students who were doing their professional internship. Students were observed in their job environment and interviewed at different moments to learn about their perceptions regarding the competencies that were required by their industry advisor and those they applied during the development of their internship project. Results suggested that there was a difference between what students perceived as competencies required and what were the competencies they applied. From the students’ point of view, companies required: an ability to communicate with employees and clients; organizing and leading other people’s work; ability to solve problems; ability to understand the production process in short time. The competencies that were actually applied according to the students were: an ability to adjust to the workplace, communication, motivation to learn, proactivity, self-confidence, a disposition to collaborate, honesty and responsibility, and technical skills depending on the project. The study showed a gap between what is perceived by students as required and what they actually had to apply in their daily job. Students perceived the development of attitudinal competencies as the most important aspect of the internship because helped accomplish what was technically required, overcoming their insecurity about how to approach the technical project. Implications for research, administration, and policy are presented.

AU - Homero Murzi
AU - Lilian Katherine Sanchez
AU - Bianey Cristina Ruiz Ulloa
CY - Tampa, Florida
DA - 2019/06/15
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Understanding Competencies Transfer During Internships in Undergraduate Industrial Engineering Students: A Case Study at the National University of Táchira, Venezuela
UR - https://peer.asee.org/33475
DO - 10.18260/1-2--33475
ER -