2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engineering Technology (ET) students often enter their academic programs with diverse informal learning experiences, deeply influenced by their hobbies and familial backgrounds. Previous research by xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx(2024) has underscored the significance of these hobbies in guiding students' career decisions and cultivating practical skill sets crucial for their persistence and success in STEM majors.
Building upon this foundation, the present study aims to delve deeper into the relationship between hobby-driven skill acquisition and the curriculum of Engineering Technology programs and the industry's expectations. Given the constraints of a condensed research timeline, a survey-based approach was employed to identify prevalent hobbies among ET students and investigate the technical and interpersonal skills these activities help develop.
Preliminary anecdotal findings indicate that hobbies such as mechanical tinkering, electronics, gaming, and crafting play a significant role in nurturing essential skills. For instance, mechanical tinkering encourages hands-on problem-solving and critical thinking, while electronics pursuits enhance technical knowledge and circuit design proficiency. Gaming, particularly strategy-based or simulation games, cultivates spatial reasoning and decision-making abilities, while crafting activities promote creativity and attention to detail, both valuable in engineering contexts. Additionally, these activities often involve collaboration, fostering teamwork and communication skills, which are vital in academic settings and the professional engineering environment.
This paper presents these preliminary insights and offers practical recommendations for educators and program designers. By strategically integrating informal learning experiences into recruitment strategies, curriculum development, and student engagement initiatives, academic programs can better align with prospective students' skills and interests. Furthermore, such integration prepares students more effectively for the challenges of the workforce, ensuring they are equipped with both the technical competencies and soft skills required in the rapidly evolving field of engineering technology.