2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

First-year engineering students often begin their programs with limited awareness of professional practice, few role models, and uncertainty about how their interest in engineering connects to specific career paths. This GIFTS paper presents a teaching module designed to address these challenges through three integrated components: informational interviewing, artificial intelligence literacy (AIL), and entrepreneurial mindset. Activities such as informational interviewing, reflective practice, and cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset have been shown to increase confidence, engagement, and long-term interest in engineering. While previous studies have explored each of these elements on their own, few have looked at their combined impact. Introducing these skills early in the curriculum helps students build motivation, persistence, and a sense of professional identity. Together, they provide a strong foundation for helping students connect what they learn in class to the realities of professional engineering practice.

The module presented here has been implemented in a required first-year Introduction to Engineering course for the past three years. The course helps students explore engineering disciplines, build professional communication skills, and develop habits that support success as engineering students, including building confidence in engaging with professionals and beginning to see how they can create value in their future roles as engineers. The activity unfolds as three interconnected parts described next, and they can be adapted to different courses and other learning settings.

The first component, informational interviewing, serves as the main experiential activity. Each student conducts at least one interview with a practicing engineer. By developing this lifelong professional skill early on, students gain insight into the engineering profession, career trajectories, co-op opportunities, and workplace culture.

The second component focuses on artificial intelligence literacy (AIL), which supports both preparation and reflection. Before conducting live interviews, students use AI to brainstorm, refine, and learn about the field of engineering of interest. They also use AI to formulate interview questions, exploring topics like professional motivation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and emerging technologies. Students then proceed to conduct a mock interview with an AI chatbot impersonating an engineer. Throughout the module, the instructor provides prompts and guidance to ensure that AI use remains purposeful, ethical, and transparent. Students are encouraged to view AI as a thinking and reflection partner rather than as a shortcut.

The third component builds on KEEN’s entrepreneurial mindset (EM) dimensions of curiosity, connections, and creating value. Through follow-up discussions and reflections framed around these ideas, students use what they learned as a starting point for personal and professional growth. They get better at asking meaningful questions, building connections, understanding their own interests, and build confidence in engaging with professionals, while also starting to see how they can create value in their future roles as engineers.

In summary, this GIFTS paper shows how informational interviewing, AI literacy, and the entrepreneurial mindset can support first-year engineering students as they learn and grow. By combining real conversations with professionals, reflection, and thoughtful use of AI, the framework helps students stay curious, confident, and engaged as they begin to see themselves as engineers. It also frames informational interviewing as a lifelong skill they can carry with them and AI literacy as a tool that supports their thinking and learning, not replace it. Future work can look at how these experiences shape motivation, confidence, and career choices over time.