Benefits of Work-Related Experiences and Their Impact on Career Competencies for STEM Students.
Saved in:
| Title: | Benefits of Work-Related Experiences and Their Impact on Career Competencies for STEM Students. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Webber, Karen L.1 (AUTHOR) kwebber@uga.edu, Stich, Amy E.1 (AUTHOR) astich@uga.edu, Grandstaff, Matthew1 (AUTHOR) matthew.grandstaff@uga.edu, Case, Collin1 (AUTHOR) collin.case@uga.edu |
| Source: | Journal for STEM Education Research. Jan2025, Vol. 8 Issue 1, p155-178. 24p. |
| Abstract: | An important part of STEM education is students' acquisition of knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for career success, all of which emerge from a combination of classroom and co-curricular activities. Work-related experiential activities (WREAs) offer the opportunity for students to engage in experiential activities before degree completion, and these experiences provide students with an important way to refine their skills that facilitate career success. Generally, prior research confirms the benefits of work-related experiential activities in students' transition to the workforce, but more evidence is needed to examine the contribution of WREA participation in the development of career competencies. This paper focuses on engineering and computer science students' perceptions of skills related to career competence that were enhanced during WREA participation. Sixty-three percent of the students surveyed in spring 2021 and spring 2022 at five institutions in one U.S. state said they completed one or more WREAs during their baccalaureate studies. With only a few significant differences by students' gender, race/ethnicity, or financial aid status, student responses indicated high value in developing skills related to career competence, and in particular, professionalism and communication. Student perceptions are detailed, and implications for STEM research and education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal for STEM Education Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
Be the first to leave a comment!
