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ERIC Number: ED632913
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 154
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3776-3851-3
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Bridging the Gap between Education and Employability in Electrical Engineering
Mahase, Kim K.
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Northeastern University
Electrical engineering undergraduate students have been deprived of opportunities to gain professional development, usually obtained through internships, outreach programs, collaborative education programs, and research initiatives resulting from the global pandemic in 2019. Such opportunities are often the means for students to transition to the workplace, where they exhibit their prowess in communication, teamwork, interpersonal, and other non-technical skills, which are generally not part of an academic engineering curriculum. The purpose of this Action Research study is to investigate and improve how implementing an online curriculum teaching employability in electrical engineering technology is advantageous to students' success in entering the workforce, particularly for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, at the study site, an urban commuter campus with a majority of students who are underrepresented minorities and women. The study participants and data collected in Cycles 1 and 2 comprised STEM undergraduates at a four-year university in the Northeastern region from the point of entry-level to graduation--it is vital to identify factors that have been affecting the success of retention in STEM. Action steps include collecting data from collaborators or engineering managers to design the pilot study implemented and evaluated in Cycle 2 Phase 1 of the study. Phase 2 tested the online curriculum focused on professional skills, both technical and nontechnical. Findings included that learning outcomes positively impact students, which is needed for the transition into an electrical engineering workplace. In addition, the pilot study cohort acquired the ability to conduct a career self-assessment, set goals, gain global awareness, and understand personal branding. Implications for the institution included a professional development curriculum that engineering departments will adopt from an easily disseminated and tested online program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A