Investigating Engineering Students' Career Thinking After Year 1 and Year 2 in College

• In Event: 81.017 - Supporting Students' Workforce Readiness

Abstract

Addressing the workforce needs of the future is an issue of national importance. Extant literature suggests that, in engineering, increasing degree attainment alone may not address workforce needs since many students who earn engineering degrees do not intend to pursue engineering careers. In this study, guided by the theory of planned behavior, we investigate students’ career intentions as an evolving set of attitudes, beliefs, and dispositions. Multinomial logistic regression results indicate that the sociocognitive factors that are related to students’ certainty that they will pursue engineering careers at the end of their first year differ from significant factors that inform career thinking at the end of students’ second year. Explanations and implications of these findings are discussed.

Authors

• Trevion S. Henderson, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Katie Shoemaker, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

• Lisa R. Lattuca, University of Michigan