2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Many undergraduate students aspiring to work in the automotive industry will pursue engineering degrees in mechanical engineering to help them attain the knowledge and skills required to compete for a position. This research project explores how undergraduate mechanical engineering students develop an understanding of how their coursework and extracurricular activities give preparation for a career trajectory into the automotive industry.
Freshmen enrolled in the undergraduate mechanical engineering degree are required to complete [Introduction to Mechanical Engineering] course. The course is designed to be an introduction to the mechanical engineering profession and overviews engineering fundamentals, CAD basics, professional development, and other related skills. An initial assignment these freshmen complete in this class is to imagine their future career and the steps that they will need to take to achieve it by way of finding future versions of their possible selves through the LinkedIn website. Of the 127 freshmen who completed this assignment, 25% of them aspired to work at a company that self-identifies as Motor Vehicle Manufacturing on LinkedIn.
Students who are interested in a future career in the automotive industry are warned that it is a competitive space and are told to stand out with good grades and extracurricular activities that demonstrate their interest and commitment to the field. However, in a self-reported survey of the last 5 years of mechanical engineering graduates at our school (count 383), only 3% of graduates reported their first job as a company that self-identifies as Motor Vehicle Manufacturing on LinkedIn. While some students originally interested in the automotive industry may seek new passions, switch majors, pursue a master’s degree, or leave college, it appears that students may not be set up for success in their desired career path.
The study examine the recognition, development, and reflection of skills for mechanical engineers in the automotive industry through qualitative, semi-structured critical incident interviews of undergraduate mechanical engineering students (n=6), recent mechanical engineering graduates from our school who successfully obtained a career in in the automotive industry, and technical professional and hiring managers with much experience in the automotive industry.
The insights from this research will better inform how careers in mechanical engineering may be presented to 1st-year students and how career planning might be better positioned for future engineers.