Developing professional skills through short-term engineering placements

Elizabeth Vincent and Dr Martin Borthwick

School of Marine Science & Engineering University of Plymouth

Abstract
This project investigated the potential for engineering employers to accommodate short-term (summer) placements as an alternative approach to year-long sandwich placements. 112 companies were approached for their opinion on short-term placements and the range and extent of professional skills that students could develop during a summer in industry. Feedback from 37 employers indicated an overall positive perception and short-term placements were considered largely beneficial to both company and student. Employers agreed that good communication was the key skill that they were looking for and that students would develop their project and time management skills, as well as improving commercial awareness, during their summer experience. Keywords: placements, engineering, profession, employment, skills

Background
The benefits of industrial experience for undergraduate engineering students are well known, particularly graduate employability (The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2010). The availability of one-year sandwich placements and their uptake, however, has declined in recent years (Walker and Ferguson, 2009; Dales et al., 2010). With the drive to improve the employability of engineering graduates in the competitive market place, it was considered timely to investigate the potential for short-term industrial placements (during summer vacations) as an alternative means of developing professional skills. Wider investigations into industry expectations of graduates have categorised professional skills as defining and enabling; with defining skills relating to theoretical and practical technical knowledge (or those in the technical domain), while enabling refers to the softer, transferable skills (or those in the social domain) (Spinks, 2006). According to The Royal Academy of Engineerings 2010 Engineering Graduates for Industry report, which of these is of greater importance to employers has been the subject of many debates and changes in engineering education throughout the years. The benefit and skills gained through year-long industrial placements is well-established (Little and Harvey, 2006; ASET, 2007; The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2010; Pegg et al., 2012); however, whether this is applicable to shorter-duration summer placements, and to the same extent, is less clear. Confirmation from industry was needed in order to confirm and support the notion that sufficient professional skills would be gained during short-term placements.

Rationale
It has been established that the number of students taking up one-year industrial placements and sandwich-year options has declined nationally and the reasons most often cited include costs (financial and personal), mobility and the right role and/or employer (Morgan, 2006; Walker and Ferguson, 2009; Lock et al., 2009; Dales et al., 2010).
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Similarly, it has been reported that the number of year-long placement opportunities is declining due to the economic downturn and therefore these opportunities are becoming increasingly competitive (Dales et al., 2010; The Royal Academy of Engineering, 2010; Aggett and Busby, 2011; Pegg et al., 2012). Dales et al. (2010) also indicate that placement opportunities in certain fields of engineering are restricted due to the type of industry available in the local area and this is applicable to the South West region. The downturn in local opportunities is confirmed by a recent study carried out by Aggett and Busby (2011) who comment on the number of declining placements available in the Plymouth area, specifically in the tourism industry. In response to the reported increase in students from local communities who choose not to move away from home for their first degree and also choose to take a work placement locally (Dales et al., 2010) it was considered prudent to find an alternative option to the year-long placement to meet the needs of local students. However, as not all students are based in the South West and placements are sought in all areas of the UK, this study was designed to meet the needs and broaden opportunities to improve employability for all students by developing professional skills through short-term placements. The outcomes from this project are relevant across the STEM disciplines and will be used to promote the advantages of short-term placements to both students and employers.

The approach
A database of 152 industry contacts was compiled from previous and existing placements, internal and external staff contacts, industrial advisory committees, placement and careers fairs and professional body membership. Although emphasis was placed on small to medium size companies (SMEs) based in the South West, larger national organisations were also included. Phase 1: pilot survey A pilot survey was conducted to gauge interest and likely participation. The initial 50 contacts were selected because of existing relationships with Plymouth University which had been forged through placements and departmental staff connections. The project was outlined in an email and those interested were asked to respond. A follow-up email was sent requesting basic information to determine the general level of interest in short-term placements and the extent to which the practice was already being carried out. Phase 2: extended survey The database of 152 employers was reviewed in terms of the timescale and logistics of the project. The contacts were prioritised and divided into smaller, more manageable lists based on location, named contact and engineering discipline. Employers were initially emailed with an outline of the project and asked to respond if they were interested in taking part. Based on the limited pilot survey response, at least one follow-up telephone call was made within two weeks of initial contact. Where the recipient was not available, a message was left or an alternative arrangement was made. During the follow-up calls, interested employers were given the option of a face-to-face meeting or telephone discussion at a convenient time. The Skills Tracker template, designed to evaluate student progress during summer placements (see Assessment below), was sent for review prior to the meeting/discussion where possible. Topics for discussion The topics for discussion with employers were based around the project objectives. These included: 1. Employers general perceptions of short-term placements 2. Previous experience of placements, if any 3. Company expectations and benefits to both the business and students
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4. Skills expected of students at the start, as well as skills gained during summer placements 5. Limitations and issues that may prevent companies from hosting short-term placements in future 6. The type of projects on offer and whether students would gain general or project-specific experience 7. Understanding the commitment and mentoring processes required to endorse short-term placements as part of the undergraduate programme. Further prompts and aids were finalised prior to company discussions and a written summary report of each dialogue was completed using an appropriate template (see Further reading/bibliography). In addition, returning summer placement students were invited to talk about their experience and provide feedback on the Skills Tracker (see Further reading/bibliography).

Assessment
Typically, only year-long placements are assessed as part of the engineering degree programme. As part of the project, a planning and reporting Skills Tracker template was designed to identify students targets and objectives and thereby monitor and evaluate progress during the short-term placement. On successful completion of the placement, the university intends to provide a certificate of endorsement for students to add to their portfolio of evidence and continuing professional development (CPD). The template was based on the typical professional body requirements for year-long placement preparation. In order to address the range of engineering disciplines offered by Plymouth University, the template was designed to be generic and students were advised to consult and make use of the specific objectives outlined by their relevant professional engineering institution. A copy of the Skills Tracker template is available in the Further reading/bibliography section. Student and employer feedback on the ease of use, suitability and overall impression of the Skills Tracker indicates that the template is a suitable method of assessing students progress and professional skills development during short-term placements.

Evaluation
The project sought to obtain employer opinion on the list of key topics through open and frank discussion; hence the resulting information is broad, subjective and individual. Given the largely qualitative nature of the data, formal statistical analysis was not possible and therefore a systematic approach of identifying keywords from the contact summary reports for each of the seven topics was taken. In order to make the information quantifiable, the keywords were transferred to a spreadsheet. Further definitions and explanations are provided in Table 3. Findings A total of 112 companies were contacted, including the 50 approached as part of the pilot survey and 23 through the placement/careers fairs. Phase 1: pilot survey The response rate from the pilot survey was 32%; however, only 20% provided feedback and confirmed an interest in, and/or had prior experience of, short-term placements. Phase 2: extended survey Of the 112 employers contacted, 38% were interested in accommodating short-term placements, 33% provided feedback on the project objectives and 27% confirmed or agreed in principle to consider Plymouths undergraduate students for summer 2012, thereby expanding provision and enabling a greater number of students to develop work-related professional skills.

Table 1. Employer response Employers Interested Not interested Not responding Total employers contacted Number (n=112) 42 27 43 112 % 38% 24% 38% 100%

Employers not interested 27 (24%) of the 112 companies stated that they were not interested in short-term placements. The main reasons cited are shown in Table 2.
Table 2. Employers reasons for lack of interest Reason: Only provide year-long placements Don't provide placements at all (i.e. graduates only) Summer duration too short Take placements but did not want to commit to Plymouth University Too small Workload (i.e. too busy or work not continuous) No engineers On-going recession Number (n=27) 11 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 % 41% 15% 11% 11% 7% 7% 4% 4%

The companies that did not respond to initial email and follow-up contact were considered as being not interested. Employer feedback 37 (33%) of the 112 companies contacted provided feedback through face-to-face meetings and telephone discussions. The full results of the feedback are provided in Table 3. The overall impression of short-term placement is positive. 16 (43%) companies stated that they had no preference for duration and 21 (57%) companies had experience of both. Only a small number were limited to short-term (4: 11%) or no placement experience at all (7: 19%).
Table 3. Topics for discussion definition and findings
Topic Perception Keyword Positive Negative Both Not known Summer Year None Summer + year Summer Year None Yes No Education experience Number (n=37) 27 4 2 4 8 13 16 21 4 5 7 30 7 4 % 73% 11% 5% 11% 22% 35% 43% 57% 11% 13% 19% 81% 19% 11% Comments/notes Not always stated but a general feeling and input into discussion indicated whether positive or negative, or both Where not clear not known indicated

Preference

Experience

Summer 2012 Expectations

Indicated whether the company would consider taking a placement student for summer 2012 To contribute to the students educational experience and career

Extra resource Industry duty Recruitment Not known Recruitment Industry duty Extra resource Young blood Links with HEIs R&D projects Staff development None Work environment experience

20

54%

3 7 3 28 9 17 3 8 2 1 2 28

8% 19% 8% 76% 24% 46% 8% 22% 5% 3% 5% 76%

To provide an extra pair of hands, contribute to the day-today business and provide a return on time invested in mentoring and training students Duty to the industry and/or social/community responsibility, including public relations/publicity for the company To assess for employment/recruitment purposes As above As above As above Provide fresh ideas and innovation or reduce the average age of the office To improve links with HEIs Where students are recruited specifically to do this rather than to provide extra resources Where existing staff were benefiting from the mentoring/supervising process Where no benefit to the company was seen Included blue chip company experience, professional environment and processes, commercial awareness, confidence, etc. Having an effect on students careers or career choices and included broadening of minds/horizons, choice of consultancy vs. contracting/site work vs. office-based, including possibility of being recruited as well as improving longer-term employability, etc. Practical use of theoretical/classroom-based knowledge in a professional environment Continuing professional development, as identified by professional bodies Includes how projects are conceived and run from conception to realisation, including time management and organisation Yes or no, or not known Includes where resourcing is controlled centrally or externally, security clearance is required, a large number of applications/selection criteria limits the number of places, senior management approval is needed or employer is self-employed Summer duration is considered too short to ensure productivity No capacity - includes lack of office space and/or time (e.g. for self-employed companies where no engineers are included in the branch of the engineering firm or there are no suitable projects) Unpaid placements may reduce interest from students Includes too much or too little to provide projects for students or staffing to supervise, including costs, budgets and the effects of the current economic climate

Benefit to company (more than 1 response)

Benefit to students (more than 1 response)

Career

13

35%

Theory into practice CPD Project/time management Paid Yes No Not known

11 1 5 22 3 12

30% 3% 14% 59% 8% 33%

Limitations (more than 1 response)

Resourcing

11

30%

Duration too short No capacity Unpaid Workload None Company change-over Confidential IP H&S Location of student Physical mobility

8%

11 2 16 3 1 1 2 1 3

30% 5% 43% 8% 3% 3% 5% 3% 8%

Other limitations and issues (more than 1 response)

A number of limitations stood out as separate issues that were unable to be grouped together and are therefore presented separately

Projects

Project followthrough General experience Project specific Both Not known

1 16 12 5 4 13

3% 43% 32% 14% 11% 35% Placement students supervised as part of the graduate programmes had appropriately trained mentors, although students may be allocated to a line manager/supervisor as well Companies without graduate programmes allocated students to a supervisor/line manager, but were less likely to have formal mentoring training Companies with graduate programmes that do not include their placement students in the company graduate programme mentoring scheme and are supervised only None - where one company stated that all supervision would need to be carried out by the university No response provided Students were allocated to a project but employers were committed to ensuring that students obtained a good general overview of other areas of the business

Commitment/mentoring

Graduate programme

Supervisor

20

54%

Both None Not known

1 1 2

3% 3% 5%

Note: Where both responses fell into the same category, these were counted as 1. Highest values have been highlighted in bold font.

20 (54%) employers considered that work placement students provided extra resources (an extra pair of hands) and this, alongside recruitment, was seen as the main benefit to companies. Employers thought that students benefited from the professional and real-life work environment experience that placements provided (28: 76%), although a small number stated that placements helped towards students careers and career choices (13: 35%). Most employers (22: 59%) confirmed that their placements were paid, but three companies (8%) indicated that they could only offer unpaid positions due to current circumstances (e.g. company recruitment freeze and budgets). Limitations were mainly due to workload (16: 43%), resourcing (11: 30%) and no capacity (e.g. office space or resource) (11: 30%). Only three companies (8%) indicated that the limitation was linked to the short duration. 16 (43%) employers indicated that students would gain general, rather than project-specific, experience; however, five (14%) confirmed that, although allocated to a project, students would be involved with other areas of the business and would therefore gain general experience as well. While 13 (35%) companies had graduate programmes with fully trained mentors in which placement students would be involved, 20 (54%) stated that students would be allocated to a supervisor or line manager and would report to members of their respective project teams. Professional skills The skills identified by employers were categorised using a set of keywords. The skills that employers expected of students at the start of their placement differed from the skills they felt would be gained during their time with the company and have therefore been analysed separately. The keywords, definitions and data for skills expected and gained are provided in Tables 4 and 5:
Table 4. Skills expected by employers at the start of a placement
Keyword Communication Technical knowledge IT competent Enthusiastic Motivated Definition Includes written, verbal and presentations, literacy, report writing and interpersonal skills Includes design, project management tools, codes of practice Includes CAD, Solid Works and all other related software Includes keen, positive attitude, willing, enquiring, get stuck in, core business interest/knowledge Includes being pro-active, taking the initiative, having aspirations, Number (n=37) 25 18 14 13 8 % 68% 49% 38% 35% 22%
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Independent Common sense Project/time management Professional Confidence Flexible/adaptable Analytical and problem solving Team work Safety certificate

fast learner, leadership, resourceful Includes being self-managing, self-sufficient, able to work independently Includes sound judgement, being aware of limitations Includes time management and organisation Includes right attitude, work ethics, personal presentation Includes being open-minded

6 5 4 4 4 3 3 2 2

16% 14% 11% 11% 11% 8% 8% 5% 5%

The findings indicate that employers consider communication as the key skill (25: 68%), followed by basic technical knowledge and understanding (18: 49%), basic competency in IT and other related software (e.g. CAD/Solid Works, Excel and Word) (14: 38%) and enthusiasm (13: 35%). Employers felt that students would learn project and time management during a short-term placement (15: 41%), followed by commercial awareness/understanding (14: 38%) and putting theoretical knowledge into practice (12: 32%), and would gain general experience of working in a professional and real-life working environment (10: 27%).
Table 5. Skills developed by students by the end of placements
Keyword Project/time management Commercial awareness and understanding Theory into practice Work environment experience Communication Analysing, problem-solving and decision making Career influence Life skills IT Team work Definition How projects are conceived and run from conception to realisation, including time management and organisation Includes how the business works, strict H&S regimes, understanding regulations, commercial management, cost awareness, client needs Practical use of theoretical/classroom-based knowledge in a professional environment, including design decision appreciation, technical evaluation Includes blue chip company/maritime industry and general workbased experience Includes written, verbal and presentations, literacy, admin, report writing and interpersonal skills Includes compromise, outside of the box thinking Includes choice between site vs. office work/consultancy vs. contracting, networking, CPD Confidence, being self-reliant and managing expectations Includes CAD, Solid Works and all other related software Being able to work together in a team and communicate effectively with other members Number (n=37) 15 14 % 41% 38%

12 10 9 8 5 5 4 4

32% 27% 24% 22% 14% 14% 11% 11%

Skills Tracker The Skills Tracker template was considered fit for purpose and easy to use by 16 out of the 21 employers who were asked to review it (76%). The most important skill set listed under the Indicative Professional Skills in Appendix A was identified as personal effectiveness (12: 57%), which included self-management and organisation, teamwork and communication. This relates to the professional skills that were identified by employers during the overall discussions. In line with this, employers prioritised the individual skills as communication (13: 62%), followed by teamwork (7: 33%). The least important skill set outlined in the Skills Tracker was commercial and professional awareness. It was felt that students would be least likely to be exposed to these areas during the short duration of a summer placement. However, this contradicts the discussion findings where 14 out of the 37 employers (38%) identified commercial awareness as one of the skills that students are most likely to gain during their placement (see Table 5, above).
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Suggestions for improvement of the Tracker were minimal and were centred around closer alignment with professional body requirements. It was also considered that the 1000-word report providing evidence of experience should be mandatory, not voluntary.
Table 6. Skills expected by employers at the start of a placement
Key word Fit for purpose/ease of use Skill priority Definition Good/okay No comment Communication Teamwork Analysis and problem solving Project management Self-management and organisation Practical/psycho-motor (application of IT, etc.) Contractual No comment Most important Technical 7 33% Personal effectiveness 12 57% Commercial and professional 1 5% awareness Not known 1 5% Number % (n=21) 16 76% 5 24% 13 62% 7 33% 4 19% 3 14% 3 14% 2 10% 1 5% 4 19% Least important 2 9% 1 5% 13 5 62% 24%

Skill sets

Student feedback A group of eight students volunteered to trial the Skills Tracker template over the summer of 2011 and provide feedback on their short-term placements. All eight students indicated that they had found it a positive experience. Roles and responsibilities varied, but all felt that they obtained a good all-round awareness and those who were allocated to a specific project felt that they had been exposed to broader aspects of the business. Students found the Skills Tracker easy to use, but tended to identify targets that were technical and specific to the work they were doing, rather than the broader skills. Not all students chose to complete the voluntary evidence-based report to accompany the Skills Tracker. All recognised the importance of gaining industry experience and would definitely recommend summer placements to their peers.

Discussion, summary
The project confirmed that email surveys alone are not effective. This was evident from the increased response rate received during phase 2 of the project (from 32% to 63%), where initial emails were followed up by telephone calls. This method of approach is recommended for projects of a similar nature. The disparity between the skills that employers thought students would gain during their short-term placement and those identified by the Skills Tracker demonstrated the merit of negotiating targets and objectives between student and employer at the start of the placement. The project has demonstrated that, within the engineering industry, employers are generally looking to support HEIs and develop students work-based learning experience. It was widely felt that short-term placements are beneficial and that all industry experience is invaluable in terms of improving students employability. It was evident through discussions with employers that they value enthusiasm and motivation as much as technical knowledge and are looking for initiative and positive attitudes as well as technical expertise. Mostly, employers are looking for personable, well-rounded people who are able to articulate themselves well through all forms of media and in all situations.

Further development
There is scope to further expand and promote short-term placement opportunities by continuing the process of contacting companies; however, this will require additional investment from HEIs. Plymouth University can further endorse students short-term work-based learning experiences by looking at the possibility of promoting it as part of the engineering undergraduate programme and rolling it out to other courses and programmes university-wide.

References
ASET (2007) Benefits of Placements [online], www.asetonline.org/benefits.htm (Accessed 20 April 2012). Aggett, M. and Busby, G. (2011) Opting out of Internship: Perceptions of Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management Undergraduates at a British University, Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 116-113. Dales, R., Lamb, F. and Hurdle, E. (2010) Engineering Graduates for Industry: Case Study of Aston University School of Engineering and Applied Science, Loughborough, Higher Education Academy Engineering Subject Centre. Little, B. and Harvey, L. (2006) Learning Through Work Placements and Beyond, Manchester, HECSU/Higher Education Academys Work Placements Organisation Forum. Lock, G., Bullock, K., Gould, V. and Hejmadi, M. (2009) Exploring the Industrial Placement Experience for Mechanical Engineering Undergraduates, Engineering Education: Journal of the Higher Education Academy Engineering Subject Centre, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 42-51. Morgan, H. (2006) Why do Students Avoid Sandwich Placements? Proceedings of Education in a Changing Environment, Salford, 1213 January 2006, Salford, University of Salford. Pegg A., Waldock, J., Hendy-Isaac, S. and Lawton, R. (2012) Pedagogy for Employability, York, Higher Education Academy. Spinks, N., Silburn, N. and Birchall, D. (2006) Educating Engineers for the 21st Century: the Industry View, Henley, Henley Management College and The Royal Academy of Engineering. The Royal Academy of Engineering (2010) Engineering Graduates for Industry, London, Royal Academy of Engineering. Walker, F. and Ferguson, M. (2009) Approaching Placement Extinction, Preston, University of Central Lancashire.

Further reading/bibliography
Appendix 1 (List of topics for discussion), Appendix 2 (Student feedback), Appendix 3 (Skills Tracker template), Appendix 4 (Contact summary reports), Appendix 5 (List of endorsing companies) available at www.plymouth.ac.uk/placements.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License Publication Date: 30/04/2012