Engineering Co-op and Internship Experiences: The Roles of Workplaces, Academic Institutions and Students

Abstract

Work-integrated learning, particularly in theform of co-ops and internships, has long been an integralpart of many engineering programs. While recentgovernment interest in work-integrated learning hasraised its profile, it is unclear how the three main actors –the workplace, the academic institution and studentsthemselves – interact with each other to enhance students’learning experiences and outcomes. This paper attemptsto fill this gap by examining engineering co-op andinternship literature as well as programming practices atnineteen North American universities. In light of aconceptual framework foregrounding organizationalstructure, human agency and learning outcomes, weidentified five themes that demonstrated the interactionsbetween organizational and individual factors involved inthe workplace learning process of engineering co-ops andinternships. The paper contributes to the discussion onwork-integrated engineering education by highlightingthe usefulness of the conceptual framework to empiricalresearch on workplace learning and the practicalimplications of the findings for engineering educators,employers, and engineering co-op and internshipstudents.

“Do I even belong?”: Internships as gendered career socialization experiences in engineering.

“…In line with positive trajectories for career development, participants used internships to build skills, better understand career options, clarify their interest and understanding of the engineering workforce, and assess how available roles align with their values. This information shaped participants’ future goals by affirming existing interests, illuminating new options, or providing insight that led them to reassess interests and goals—all of which align with prior research about the role of internships (Lapan & Smith, 2023; Liu et al, 2018; Powers et al, 2018; Samuelson & Litzler, 2013).…”

“…The COVID-19 health pandemic also led to shifting modalities, and many internships are now virtual (Hora et al, 2021), introducing yet another variable. Overall, internships that allow students to apply course knowledge, work with supportive mentors, and access career information are associated with meaningful experiences that promote career interest and entry into related jobs (Kusimo et al, 2018; Liu et al, 2018; Raelin et al, 2011; Samuelson & Litzler, 2013). However, internships where students face minoritizing experiences due to their gender or other social identities may result in less positive outcomes.…”

“…Moreover, given the dearth of women in engineering, it is crucial to understand how internships may serve as filtering mechanisms in engineering workforce pathways. Broadly, engineering internships have been associated with greater career knowledge, professional networks, and full-time employment (Jelks & Crain, 2020; Liu et al, 2018; Powers et al, 2018; Samuelson & Litzler, 2013). However, the role of internships in women’s career development may be more complex due to issues of gender bias, discrimination, and sexism in engineering (Anderson et al, 2011; Fifolt & Searby, 2010; Kreth, 2000; Lapan & Smith, 2023; Seron et al, 2016; Smith & Gayles, 2018).…”

Shaping futures: A dialogue on chemical engineering education

“…This often includes instruction of general design principles in the first year of an undergraduate education, often with more chemical engineering specific design in middle years, leading to a longstanding capstone course in the final year. Many or most chemical engineering students now participate in co-op and internships programs (Liu et al, 2018). [51] Instruction of transdisciplinary competencies, such as communication and more recently team-skills, for example, [52] has also been added to many curricula.…”

Unleashing the Power of Data Analytics to Examine Engineering Students’ Experiences and Outcomes

“…Experiential learning for engineering students is often exemplified in co-op programs and internships. Better understanding of students' co-op or internship experiences require synthesizing perspectives from students, the postsecondary institutions that support students' work-integrated learning, and the workplaces that offer co-ops or internships [54]. Therefore, data analytics built upon integrated data points could help inform contextual factors that contribute to, or impede, achievement of positive student outcomes.…”