Research: Developing the Engineering Workforce: Examining Faculty Beliefs to Connect School to Work

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $387,145 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Engineering programs across the United States are committed to developing an industry workforce capable of maintaining and enhancing the nation’s economic success and technological leadership. Today’s graduating engineers must be fully prepared to enter the workplace and contribute to both the economic success of their employers and the national priorities of the country from Day 1. Despite this commitment from colleges and universities, employers continue to report critical gaps in how well new engineers are prepared for work. To develop effective professional engineers, programs need to do a better job of connecting what happens in the classroom to what happens on the job. One potential challenge to this work is the lack of industry experience among the faculty who teach engineering. Without practical work experience, faculty may not fully understand what engineers do and may struggle to connect classroom teaching to industry needs and practices in ways that most effectively prepare new graduates for the standards, norms, and practices of engineering work. This project will help address that problem by first determining what engineering faculty across the country do know about engineering work, and then understanding if and how they use that knowledge in their teaching. We will use our findings to create workshops, handouts, and other resources to help faculty better connect their teaching to the needs of employers and new graduates making the transition from school to work

Key facts

NSF award ID
2528603
Awardee
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VA)
SAM.gov UEI
QDE5UHE5XD16
PI
Marie C Paretti
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
EDUCATION RESEARCH, ENGINEERING EDUCATION
Estimated total
$387,145
Funds obligated
$387,145
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
08/15/2025 → 07/31/2028