The Effect of Cooperative Education on Retention of Engineering Students & the Transition to Full-Time Employment

Abstract

This study expands on the findings from an NSF (GSE 0827490) funded study entitled "Pathways to Self-Efficacy and Retention of Women in Undergraduate Engineering" which investigated reasons for low representation and retention of women in STEM fields. In this paper, we report on qualitative analysis from a recent pilot study involving in-depth interviews from five engineering students in their final academic year of study and a set of five engineers interviewed within eighteen months of commencing their first full-time job in an engineering career field. All subjects previously completed several terms of cooperative education (intensive work study) within the same agency.Interestingly, all five of the newly hired engineers interviewed strongly believed that their cooperative education (co-op) experience had helped prepare them for full-time employment. Additionally, all strongly conceded that these experiences specifically helped ease the transition from student to professional. Although three out of five agreed that their college courses provided them with technical skills they could use in the engineering field, only two felt as though they had adequately developed the soft skills in college that they needed for full-time employment. Notably, all mentioned that their co-ops provided opportunities to meet and work with active role model(s) which aided in the development of self-confidence.All five of the engineering students graduating within the next academic year who were interviewed mentioned that in general co-op at least partially hindered their academic performance. They cited a positive experience with employers and the knowledge that they had likely secured a full-time job upon graduation as the reason for a decrease in academic drive. Impressively, all five students stated that their co-op experiences increased their perceived level of ability to be successful in their work roles. It is worth noting that although it was not specifically asked of them, at least three of the ten interviewees mentioned the difficulty they experienced during the transition between co-op and school. This paper will delve into the findings of this initial pilot study and will draw reasonable conclusions from the data. We also gathered information about which types of interview questions are helpful in gaining useful insights into how cooperative education impacts retention in undergraduate engineering programs and a student's transition to full-time employment following graduation.

The Students' Experience Coming Back After Cooperative Education Experiences

“…However, in a study examining the transition from co-ops to full-time employment, though it was not specifically asked of them, thirty percent of students reported that the transition from their co-op back to their university hindered their academic motivation 9 . The researchers also found similar experiences reported by students at another university and thought this consideration was worthy of further investigation.…”

A Systematic Literature Review of the Impact of Undergraduate Work Experiences on Women in Engineering

“…Working also allows students to see the applications of the theory they have been exposed to in the classroom and puts their knowledge into real-world contexts (Case & Jawitz, 2004). While some students report that the disconnect between school and work content decreases their academic drive or perceived value of their coursework, most report that applying their knowledge in a working environment increases both their interest in engineering career paths and their motivation to graduate (Gunderson et al, 2016;Hyde, 1997;Kuntz, 2009). These feelings showed no significant divides between genders.…”

“…Several studies report correlations between exposure to and work done with role models in the workplace and increased enjoyment of the experience, responsibility given during employment, and self-confidence (Case & Jawitz, 2004;Gunderson et al, 2016;Kuntz, 2009;Samuelson & Litzler, 2013). Both men and women report positive experiences with mentors of same and opposite genders, but the impact of professional women is more significant for women undergraduates (Gunderson et al, 2016). These students felt that seeing women at work helped offset self-doubts they attributed to being in a heavily male-dominated industry.…”

“…The interpersonal working relationships reported by women are not uniformly positive. Despite the importance mentors played for many women, students often felt marginalized by their gender at work and an overwhelming majority of women interviewed about their experiences during coops or internships reported encountering a hostile work environment (Case & Jawitz, 2004;Gunderson et al, 2016;Kuntz, 2009;Seron et al, 2016). Undergraduate women recalled a wide range of instances of mistreatment and harassment, including cat-calls and pornographic images in factory environments, inappropriate comments about their wardrobe, crude jokes, unsolicited flirtations and evidence of virtual stalking from colleagues, and being asked out to dinner by a member of upper management.…”

“…It is important to note that while some accounts of this mistreatment in the workplace occurred in studies during the early 2000s, two were published in 2016, indicating this culture is consistent throughout time and still relevant to women in engineering today (Gunderson et al, 2016;Seron et al, 2016).…”