2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Deconstructing School-to-Work Transitions in Engineering: A Scoping Review

Presented at ERM WIP III: Post-Undergraduate Engineering Education

This work-in-progress paper focuses on the early results of a scoping review that explores what is known about the school-to-work transition experiences of undergraduate engineering students. Guided by Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) scoping review methodology and adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, this study synthesizes findings from 54 studies, primarily focused on engineering students in the United States. The transition from school to the workforce is a pivotal and challenging phase for undergraduate engineering students as they navigate new environments, social dynamics, and professional expectations.

The review is structured around a five-stage process: 1) identifying the research question; 2) systematically searching; 3) selecting relevant studies; 4) charting the data; and 5) summarizing the findings. Preliminary results provide an overview of the school-to-work research landscape, highlighting key factors that influence the transition and how existing studies have addressed this topic. Initial analysis also reveals gaps in the literature, particularly concerning the intersection of identity and professional development, and the varying experiences of students from underrepresented groups.

This paper emphasizes the methodological rigor of the scoping review process while sharing early insights from the data. It aims to contribute to the ongoing conversation about how educators, and industry professionals can better support engineering students during this critical phase of their career development. The results will provide a comprehensive mapping of current knowledge and recommendations for future research in this area.

Authors

Animesh Paul University of Georgia [biography]

Animesh (he/they) was born and raised in Tripura, India, within a liberal "brown" military upbringing. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from KIIT University. Currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate at the Engineering Education Transformation Institute, advised by Dr. Racheida Lewis. His research focuses on engineering education, specifically exploring user experience in engineering classrooms and students' transition experiences.
Dr. Racheida S Lewis http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1934-3199 University of Georgia [biography]

Racheida S. Lewis, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia in the Engineering Education Transformations Institute (EETI) and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Dr. Lewis believes in creating a diverse engineering field and strives to do so through connecting with teaching and mentoring future engineers. She has devoted her life to this mission through her leadership and lifetime membership in NSBE, SWE, & SHPE. Ultimately, Dr. Lewis aspires to bridge together research and pedagogy within the academy to improve engineering education within the field and across disciplines.
Nyna Jaye DeWitt University of Georgia [biography]

Nyna, born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, obtained her Bachelor’s degree in General Engineering with a concentration in Biomedical Engineering in 2022 from Wake Forest University. Following her undergraduate degree, she received her Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with a focus in Immunoengineering from Johns Hopkins University. Nyna has a strong interest in increasing diversity in biomedical engineering spaces and she intends to research this by focusing on inclusive classroom spaces and diversifying research models.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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