2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engineering undergraduates at The University of Toledo need to complete three semester-long co-op experiences as a requirement of graduation. Co-ops allow students to experience first-hand what engineers do. This includes information seeking. As an engineering librarian, I was interested in which information sources students need to use during their co-ops and how comfortable they were in their information seeking.
An anonymous survey instrument was developed using Qualtrics. Surveys were sent electronically to all students who had completed at least one co-op experience. With a response rate of 21%, I found that while most respondents needed to locate and use at least one type of information while on their co-op. Most needed assistance from a co-worker or supervisor. These findings highlight a gap between students’ self-perceived comfort and their independent information literacy skills.
Most respondents reported the need to locate and use information sources during their co-op. They will also need to do so after graduation; therefore, engineering students must acquire information literacy skills. Research has also shown that co-ops and internships contribute to the development of essential soft skills, including project management, communication, and teamwork. The paper will show the importance of these skills in employability and success in the engineering workplace. I will also show that enabling students to acquire these skills helps engineering programs meet three ABET standards.