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A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding How Colleges, Universities, and Employers Prepare and Support Undergraduates in Engineering Internships

This Research to Practice Work In Progress Paper describes an academic-industry research partnership aimed at understanding how undergraduate juniors and seniors navigate a summer internship at a large global engineering company in the automotive industry. The study explores the question: What are the relationships between internship experiences and engineering students' self-efficacy, creativity and innovation, and future academic and career choices and plans? Focusing on survey and interview data collected from product development interns at a single engineering firm, this research explores the highlights and challenges encountered in their internship as well as their perceptions regarding opportunities for creativity and innovation. An additional set of interview questions examined the organizational ecology within the company based on who interns interacted with and sought out for mentorship and support. These results are contextualized in findings from a survey of undergraduate engineering students across a nationally representative sample of 27 U.S. engineering schools. Future research based on survey and interview data will take a mixed methods approach to inform an actionable understanding of the role of engineering internships for three critical stakeholders across whom an engaging & effective pathway is sought: students, colleges & universities, and industry.