Academic internships: the experience of the Civil Engineering Department of ISEP

ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF ISEPDiogo Ribeiro, Tiago Abreu, Rui Camposinhos, Carlos Félix, Rui Santos, Maria Portela, Sílvia Azevedo

Contents

1. Overview

2. List of companies of DEC-ISEP: strategy and implementation

3. Monitoring internships

4. Conclusions

1. Overview

Promoting professional nature internships has been a growing commitment on the part of polytechnic education institutions in Portugal, allowing to address some of the polytechnic higher education purposes specified in DL 74/2006 and marking a difference from university education.

The promotion of scientific internships in business environment in higher education degree courses has had a strong impact on increasing the employability of students.

In the area of civil engineering promoting professional nature internships is not as entrenched as in other areas of engineering, essentially due to the unfavorable economic situation faced by the country in recent years, particularly in the construction and public works sector. Also a significant number of construction companies does business in areas where the research, development and innovation are still undervalued.

Established in 2012-13 with the aim of providing internship offers to final year students of the Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering (MEC).At the time of the list of companies’ constitution the number of students to undertake internships was negligible. With the formalization and disclosure of the list of companies the number of students interested in carrying out internships increased significantly.

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

12

31

50

15

33

55

Number of available in-ternships

2. List of companies of DEC-ISEP

School

Possible recognition by companies of the training quality of the school and the skills and knowledge of their students;

Increasing of the employment rate of graduates with added-value on prestige and attractiveness of the course;

Approach to the business world providing new partnerships, in terms of consultancy, specialized technical training and R&D projects;

Media visibility and recognition of merit by the public opinion that can add to the prestige and success of the courses.


Students

Opt for a academic work usually more suited to the profile of students of polytechnic education (more focused on the know-how and practical part);

Output for the labor market with a professional experience lasting 6-12 months;

Chance to demonstrate their skills in a business environment and depend on their performance and dedication for a possible job opportunity;

Success stories of students who after completing the internship became part of the staff of companies.


Companies

Companies with partnership agreement: 12 (2012-13), 26 (2013-14) and 44 (2014-15).

Mostly located in the northern region of Portugal, in districts of Porto, Braga, Aveiro and Viana do Castelo;

Offer internships in 4 specific areas of Civil Engineering: civil works, structures, infrastructure and construction management;

In 2014-15 it should be noted some peculiarities of the companies’ profile:

- 35 private and 9 public companies; - the majority invest in value research activities,

development and innovation;- key actors in international markets.



• Surveys:Superviso

rs

Students

Companies

Application forms available online

• Response to the survey – Supervisors

Response to the survey - ISEP SupervisorsNot at all satisfied

Somewhat Satisfied

SatisfiedVery

satisfiedFully

satisfied

Promoting the link between the ISEP and the labor market 0,0% 0,0% 42,9% 42,9% 14,3%

Importance of the internships developed within the company 7,1% 7,1% 35,7% 42,9% 7,1%

Work carried out corresponding to expectations 7,1% 14,3% 28,6% 42,9% 7,1%

Student autonomy 7,1% 7,1% 28,6% 50,0% 7,1%

Student determination and commitment 7,1% 0,0% 14,3% 64,3% 14,3%

Student punctuality 7,1% 0,0% 35,7% 35,7% 21,4%

Student planning capacity and organization 7,1% 14,3% 57,1% 21,4% 0,0%

Level of compliance of the expected objectives 7,1% 7,1% 21,4% 50,0% 14,3%

Overall functioning of the internship 13,3% 6,7% 13,3% 53,3% 13,3%


Initiative to create a list of companies of DEC-ISEP

• Response to the survey – Supervisors


• Response to the survey – Students

Response to the survey - S tudentsNot at all satisfied

Somewhat Satisfied

SatisfiedVery

satisfiedFully

satisfied

Promoting the link between the ISEP and the labor market 2.9% 5.9% 35.3% 29.4% 26.5%

Articulation student / company's supervisor 8.8% 17.6% 17.6% 14.7% 41.2%

Articulation student / ISEP's supervisor 2.9% 17.6% 5.9% 23.5% 50.0%

Learning environment in the company 2.9% 26.5% 17.6% 5.9% 47.1%

Prior preparation regarding the level of work and difficulties required 2.9% 14.7% 44.1% 23.5% 14.7%

Acquisition of knowledge and technical and professional skills 2.9% 29.4% 14.7% 14.7% 38.2%

Availability and accessibility of the company supervisor 11.8% 8.8% 23.5% 11.8% 44.1%

Internship appropriateness in relation to initial expectations 0.0% 32.4% 20.6% 20.6% 26.5%

Overall functioning of the internship 2.9% 23.5% 26.5% 20.6% 26.5%


• Response to the survey – Students

If you had a new possibility to choose one of the modalities to complete DIPRE, what would you choose?


• Response to the survey – Companies

Response to the survey - CompaniesNot at all satisfied

Somewhat Satisfied

SatisfiedVery

satisfiedFully

satisfied

Promoting the link between the ISEP and the labor market 0,0% 0,0% 34,5% 58,6% 6,9%

Internship importance to the company 0,0% 0,0% 34,5% 51,7% 13,8%

Student's preparation regarding the level of work and difficulties required 0,0% 0,0% 37,9% 51,7% 10,3%

Work carried out corresponding to expectations 0,0% 0,0% 10,3% 75,9% 13,8%

Student autonomy 0,0% 0,0% 20,7% 69,0% 10,3%

Student punctuality and attendance 3,4% 0,0% 3,4% 51,7% 41,4%

Student planning capacity and organization 0,0% 3,4% 20,7% 62,1% 13,8%

Level of compliance of the expected objectives 0,0% 0,0% 6,9% 69,0% 24,1%

Overall functioning of the internship 0,0% 0,0% 10,3% 79,3% 10,3%


• Response to the survey – Companies

In case of job opportunities, would you equate the possibility of hiring the internship student?


Experience of the Civil Engineering Department of ISEP to promote academic internship for master students;

The initiative of the companies’ list creation was considered to be very important by most stakeholders;

High degree of satisfaction shown by supervisors and companies;

Students present more diverging opinions, but most of them reveal to be very satisfied or completely satisfied with the internship.

4. Conclusions

THANK YOU

Civil Engineering Department of [email protected]

Academic internships: the experience of the Civil Engineering Department of ISEP

Education

Transcript of Academic internships: the experience of the Civil Engineering Department of ISEP