Download - Competing with Co-ops: Providing Affordable International Opportunities for Engineering Students
Competing With Domestic Co-ops
Providing affordable international opportunities for
engineering students
Presenters
Catherine DonohoeCareer Advisor, Engineering Co-op & Career
Services, University of Maryland
Daniela AscarelliAssistant Vice Provost for International Programs, Director, Drexel Study Abroad, Drexel University
Angela ShaefferDirector, Program Development, Cultural Vistas
Tell Us About Yourself
What is your role?
• Campus Education Abroad Administrator
• Engineering School/ Department Faculty or Staff
• Study Abroad Provider Administrator
• Resident Director
• Other
What international programming do you currently offer engineering students?
• What successes have you had? What are your concerns?
Questions you hope we will address today
Today’s Session
1) Engineering Students and Programs
2) Career Services Perspective -Employment of Engineering Students and Graduates
3) Developing international internship and research opportunities for Engineers as a University or as a Provider Organization
4) Finding Funding
5) Bring it home – what can your institution do?
A Tale of Two Universities
University of Maryland
• Public Research University in College Park, MD
• >26,000 undergraduate
• >10,000 graduate
• 15 colleges & schools
• ~250 academic programs
Drexel University• Private Research
University in Philadelphia, PA
• >16,000 undergraduate
• >8,000 graduate
• 15 colleges & schools
• ~200 degree programs
Where Are Drexel STEM Students?
• College of Engineering
• College of Computing and Informatics
• College of Arts and Sciences
• School of Biomedical Engineering
Where are STEM students at the University of Maryland?
Colleges with STEM majors:
• A. James Clark School of Engineering
• Agriculture & Natural Resources
• Behavioral & Social Sciences
• Architecture, Planning & Preservation
• Public Health
• Robert H. Smith School of Business
• Largest private engineering college in US
• 660 BS degrees granted
• ABET accredited BS programs:
Chemical Engineering
Civil, Architectural & Environmental Engineering
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Materials Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
840 BS degrees granted annually ABET accredited BS programs:
Aerospace Engineering
Bioengineering
Chemical and Bio-molecular Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Fire Protection Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Competing with Domestic Co-ops:A Career Services
Perspective
Catherine DonohoeCareer Advisor
Engineering Co-op & Career ServicesUniversity of Maryland
Employment Outlook for Engineering Students
• Employment outlook and salaries for engineering students
• Entry level full time and internships/ co-ops
• Glossary: Internship and Co-op
Entry-level Salaries
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) September 2014 Student Survey
Entry-level Salaries
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) September 2014 Student Survey
Average Starting Salary for Entry Level Full Time PositionComputer Science: $62,103Engineering: $62,891Other Math/ Sciences: $44,299Overall (average of all majors): $48,707
Entry-level Salaries - Engineers
Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) September 2014 Student Survey
I say co-op, you say…Internship
• 2-3 months full time during summer break
• May continue part time during the semester
• Does not delay graduation
• Basic exposure to company
• Depth and breadth of responsibility vary
Co-op position
• 6-9+ months full time during summer and semester
• May include rotation over multiple years
• Usually extends time to graduation
• In depth exposure to 1+ areas of company
• Usually a higher level of responsibility
Long-term benefits of co-op/ intern experience
• Employers look for technical experience on resume
• Likelihood of conversion to full time employee
• In 2014, companies extended full time offers to 64.8% of their former interns, 56.8% of former co-ops (according to NACE Survey of Employers)
• Improved employee retention
Intern/ Co-op Salaries
• Average wage for engineering co-op or intern positions = $20/ hour
• Benefits may include social activities, paid holidays, service time and relocation assistance/ housing stipend
• Potential summer income for an engineering intern:
Gross Wages and Earnings
$20 * 40 hours/ week * 12 weeks $9600
Housing Stipend/ Relocation
Varies – estimate $2500
Rent, food Varies - estimate -$3500
Income (before taxes) $8600
Program Models for STEM Students
Daniela AscarelliAssistant Vice Provost, Intl Programs
Director, Study AbroadDrexel University
Engineering Curriculum
• ABET = Accrediting body for schools of engineering
• Criterion 3 Student Outcomes
• Technical Skills and “Soft” Skills
• How does ABET view experiential learning• Approval by program
• For credit or not
Drexel University
• Located in Philadelphia
• 25,000 total students
• 14,000 UG students
• 4,600 GR students
• A co-op institution, where over 90% of all students participate in three 6 month co-ops.
• A quarter school whereby students are obligated to Drexel 12 months/year after their 1st summer
Program Models for STEM Students
Less than full term opportunities
• Global Classrooms
• Intensive courses abroad
• International experiences
Full-term opportunities
• Research focused programs
• Exchange programs
• Study + Co-op opportunities
• Dual degree programs
Less than Full Term Options
Global Classrooms• Allows a “glocal” focus
• Mimics ‘real’ world collaboration
• Gateway to more immersive opportunities
Intensive course abroad
• Take advantage of short
intersessions
• No extra tuition cost for
students
• Opportunity to liaise with
partners
• Seen as not interfering
with regular classes
More Short Term OptionsInternational Experiences• Faculty supervised and/or driven,
not for credit• Often times service oriented in
nature• Frequently take place during
term breaks• Thai Harvest
• Initiated by DU faculty member in MEM
• Global Brigades• Various Brigades,
focusing on variety of topics
• BSN to Paraguay• Engineers without Borders
Research focused programs
• Opportunity to work with partners and increase research collaboration
• Frequently driven by faculty interest
Bochum• For CHEME and MEM students• Classes co-taught by Drexel and Bochum
faculty• Includes a research course
Research focused programs
• Opportunity to work with partners and increase research collaboration
• Frequently driven by faculty interest
Bioko• ENVS focused program, popular with Bio
students as well• Two research courses, including a 6 credit
research capstone project• Classes taught by Drexel faculty or
Drexel hired adjuncts.• Students are in courses with local
students.
Study + Co-op Opportunities
• Tend to be longer in nature, up to a full academic year
• Allows students to truly immerse themselves abroad
• Provides the best of both worlds!
• UAS7– study+co-opopportunity, possibility of paid internship.
• Tohoku– 12 months, co-op opportunity is in a lab. Unpaid positions
Exchange Programs
• Bilaterals• Consortium
• GE3• Michigan’s SJTU Joint
Institute• UAS7• Study + co-op
• English language terms• Sapiens• ICAI/ UPComillas, Spain• Spring term, designed in
conjunction with Univ of Illinois
• FAME program• ENSEA, France
Dual Degree Programs
EAGLES• 3 countries– Spain, Italy and the
US• 2 degrees– Drexel and Polimilano• For engineers interested in energy
issues• Majority of students have been in
an accelerated BS/MS program
PKUSZ in Shenzen• Aimed at ENVE engineers.• One year at Drexel, one
year at PKUSZ• Either one term exchange or full
year with dual degree• Issues gaining traction
Catalysts for STEM Program Development
• 16% of American high school students are interested in STEM
• Only half of college students who study STEM pursue STEM-relevant careers
• President Obama’s STEM Goals:
• develop, recruit, and retain 100,000 excellent STEM teachers over the next 10 years
• asked colleges and universities to graduate an additional 1 million students with STEM majors.
• improvements in STEM education will happen only if Hispanics, African-Americans, and other underrepresented groups in the STEM fields—including women, people with disabilities, and first-generation Americans—participate.Source: www.ed.gov/stem
U.S. Department of State 2015 STEM Initiatives
• Federal Five-Year Strategic Plan for STEM Education
• STEM Innovation Proposal: $170 million in new funding that will help to train the next generation of innovators. Key activities include:
• STEM Innovation Networks ($110 million): grants to school districts in partnership with colleges, and other regional partners to transform STEM teaching and learning by accelerating the adoption of practices in P-12 education that help to increase the number students who seek out and are well-prepared for postsecondary education and careers in STEM fields.
• STEM Teacher Pathways ($40 million): provide competitive awards to high-quality programs that recruit and train talented STEM educators for high-need schools.
• National STEM Master Teacher Corps ($20 million): identify, refine and share models to help America's best and brightest math and science teachers to make the transition from excellent teachers to school and community leaders and advocates for STEM education. The program will enlist, recognize and reward a national corps of outstanding STEM educators to help improve STEM teaching and learning in their schools and communities.
Cultural Vistas: STEM ProgramsOrganizational Mission: To provide experience for the global workforce.
Current Undergraduate Program Models
Funded
• STEM LAUNCH• Funded by The Halle
Foundation
• Partnership with Spelman& Morehouse Colleges
• Cultural Vistas Fellowship• Summer Internship in field
of sustainability
• Targets all underrepresented students
Fee-based
• IAESTE • International Association
for the Exchange of Students with Technical Experience
• Research- and work-based
• Internships Abroad• Students placed in
internships of interest (some paid)
University of Waterloo Co-op Program
FALL WINTER SPRING/SUMM
ER
Year 1 1A 1B WT1
Year 2 2A WT2 2B
Year 3 WT3 3A WT4
Year 4 3B WT5 4A
Year 5 WT6 4B A=semester 1;
B=semester 2;
WT=Winterterm
Co-operative Education Structure:•6500-7000 students per term on work term•80% in Canada, 10% in USA, 10% in rest of world•academic and work terms integrated to promote career- focused and applied learning•students complete professional development courses online while on work terms using work experience as basis for course engagement
(A=semester 1, B=semester 2, WT=work term)
Required Courses:
PD1: Co-op Fundamentals
PD 2: Critical Reflection and
Report Writing
PD20: Engineering
Workplace Skills I:
Developing Reasoned
Conclusions
PD21: Engineering
Workplace Skills II:
Developing Effective Plans
Elective Courses:
PD3: Communication
PD4: Teamwork
PD5: Project Management
PD6: Problem Solving
PD7: Conflict Resolution
PD8: Intercultural Skills
PD9: Ethical Decision Making
PD22: Professionalism and
Ethics in Engineering Practice
Professional DevelopmentProgram Schedule
IAESTE: Research Internship Placement Approach
• 65+ years, ~345,000 alumni around the world
• Compensated internships; scholarships available for U.S. participants
• 2012 stats:
• Students on traineeships: 3951
• Employers offering traineeships: 2795
• Universities sending students: 931
• Challenges
• Placements take time (PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE)
• Best for students who are comfortable with less on-the-ground support
• Best fit for student experientially
IAESTE Participant Emma W.Mechanical Engineering Major
Placement: Bosnia, PetrolInvest
• “One of the upsides of working in a relatively small company was the close relationships shared by the different departments. For example, if we needed to clarify or make changes to a design we were able to talk to the other departments in person. The collaborative energy was evident. Even though the work atmosphere was less rushed and stressed than how I’ve found it in America, everything was still finished on time. At the office, my coworkers were glad to have me around and liked to hear about the different plans I had for the weekends.”
STEM LAUNCH: Career Exploration Study Tour
Approach• More likely to pursue graduate study (~85%
would consider a higher degree in STEM because of the program)
• Greater awareness of career pathways (95%)• Understand value of an international
experience (~90%)• Likelihood of going abroad again: 100%• Gain practical intercultural skills: 100%• Better understanding of international business
and research cooperation (~90%)• Develop skills that complement academics
(~88%)
(Source: STEM LAUNCH Post-Program Surveys 2013 & 2014 Programs)
STEM LAUNCHRelevant Reactions
• It is important to open your horizons; one may never know the many abundant opportunities that are available if they do not step out of their comfort zone and explore. (Spelman College, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering ’15 Major)
• This experience has opened my eyes to having a career internationally and being involved in foreign engagements. Being a consultant, I would love to travel to Germany again to work alongside one of the companies we visited. (Morehouse College, Industrial Engineering/Applied Physics ’16 Major)
Vision to Reality An Advisor’s Perspective for
Pursuing Programming
• Revisiting program portfolios
• Individual students vs. structured programming
• Strategic planning
• Less the “why,” more the “how”
• Involving offices across organization and/or campus
• MOUs: Legacies, creating new partnerships
• Identifying partners & partnership opportunities
• Provider inquiries: What can be done?
• Develop an advising strategy
Funding OptionsNational options
• DAAD• Freeman Foundation– funding for
co-op in S. East Asia• 100,000 strong• Gilman/ Boren• Pire/NSF/etc
Internal sources @ Drexel• Global classroom
• $1000 faculty stipend
• ITA’s• Assistance for faculty travel to intl
conferences.
Study Abroad scholarships• Fall 2014 over $43000 in funding
disbursed.
Take the Discussion Home
How can you develop experiential opportunities for the engineering students you serve?
Your Role
• Campus – Study Abroad Administrators
• Campus – Faculty
• Funding Organizations
• Providers – Administrators
• Providers – Resident Directors
Take the Discussion HomeHow can you develop experiential opportunities for the engineering students you serve?
Who to involve?
• Career Services
• Faculty/ Academic Advisors
• Employers
• Agencies/ Providers
• Other Resources
Take the Discussion Home
How can you develop experiential opportunities for the engineering students you serve?
• Learning Objectives/ Goals of New Programming
• Funding Opportunities
• Logistics
• Risk Management – Health, Safety, Liability
Additional Resources• NAFSA Underrepresentation in Education
Abroad Subcommittee• Diversity Abroad• IIE
• 2009 White Paper & Downloadable Presentation: Promoting Study Abroad in Science and Technology Fields
• NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers)
• Global E3 – international engineering consortium
• Funding resources: Boren, Gilman, Provider $$$