Preliminary Investigation into Causal Factors for Engineering Enrollment

Abstract

In Canada, the majority of university-bound students are required to choose their post-secondary program during their final year of high school. This is an important decision, and is difficult and confusing for many students with limited information to make these career-impacting choices. Past research suggests that the engineering profession is not understood in the public domain, especially in elementary and secondary schools. To further investigate this issue, a mixed-methods study is being conducted to examine the factors behind students’ selection of engineering. Self-reported retrospective satisfaction with program selection is used as an indicator for successful decision-making. Indicated factors were compared with demographics to determine if they vary in importance by gender, year or personal relationships with professional engineers. This paper discusses trends that are evolving from the first phase of processing. Extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis is still underway on the full package of data, and further findings will be published at a later date.