Abstract
This project work addresses the crucial need to encourage undergraduate civil and environmental engineering students to gain employment skills and training right from the start of their studies so that their overall employability increases; their confidence level in networking with industry and within the workplace increases; and so that they are successfully able to obtain employment after finishing their studies. This initiative is a stepping-stone employability exercise which focuses specifically on first year students to help them engage with industry right from the start of their course. It is proposed that they would gain some realistic work experience both individually and as part of group within a virtual work environment using an action learning approach. The virtual environment used was based on SecondLife, a popular virtual reality programme. A pilot scheme was set up and run at Brunel University during the summer of 2014 using eight self-selecting first year students. The scheme’s outputs were extensively monitored and evaluated to assess its impact on the development of employability skills. This approach may prove a cost effective way of letting students gain an insight into the workplace whilst improving these skills. It may also prove a way for employers to select from a large range of students the best to actually undertake their real work-based internships.
Highlights
The project work described in this paper addresses the crucial need to encourage undergraduate civil and environmental engineering students to gain employment skills and training from the first year of their studies so that their overall employability increases; their confidence level in networking with industry and within the workplace increases; and, so that they are successful in being able to obtain summer placements and/or sandwich placements whilst studying at a UK University
The overarching aim is that all students, whether they chose to undertake a sandwich placement year and successfully obtain one or not, leave their higher education establishment with some relevant work experience
This is since employers are increasingly expecting undergraduate civil and environmental engineering students to already have some relevant work experience before joining them as it partially demonstrates their ability to interact effectively in the workplace [1,2]
Summary
The overarching aim is that all students, whether they chose to undertake a sandwich placement year (if available as an option on their course of studies) and successfully obtain one or not, leave their higher education establishment with some relevant work experience This is since employers are increasingly expecting undergraduate civil and environmental engineering students to already have some relevant work experience before joining them as it partially demonstrates their ability to interact effectively in the workplace [1,2]. It demonstrates networking ability and other positive transferrable skills in being able to obtain and successfully complete a work-based placement or training opportunity This project work basically enhances the learning and teaching strategy of a University by including action learning as an optional mode of study for students during their summer period. Introduce intern to importance of costing and to costing of the recommended solutions.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
