Print this page Mentoring the Engineering Intern
William N. Weaver, P.E. and John C. Huang, Ph.D., P.E.
Course Outline
The course covers the concept and benefits of the engineering mentoring process for both the student and the mentoring engineer. Material is presented to prepare the mentor relative to what to expect of the intern and the types of beneficial work activities the intern can provide. Intern safety and the effects of exposure to today’s industrial environment are presented along with cautions for the student returning to school. Some discussion of the impact of the internship on the student’s relationship with his / her professors on return to school are covered.
This course includes
a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding
of the course materials.
Learning Objective
When completed the following learning objectives should have been achieved:
- A basic understanding of the aspects of mentoring a college student;
- An understanding that the intern needs to be presented with relevant work;
- An understanding of the importance of maximizing the intern’s exposure to the real world of engineering;
- An understanding of the various experience levels of incoming interns to assist in planning the internship experience;
- An understanding of the importance of protecting the intern and the company; and
- An understanding of the importance of recognizing the differences between the industrial and academic environments.
General Course Information
The course contains a broad introduction to the internship process and the benefits available to the intern. Details are provided on the types of exposures and the need to have the intern perform varied and useful work. Cautions for the mentoring engineer are presented.
Intended
Audience
The course is directed at engineers providing mentoring programs to engineering students.
Benefits to Attendee
The intended audience will receive the following benefits from this course material.
- A basic understanding of the pieces required of a beneficial internship program
- Some indication of the effort and commitment required to provide a meaningful internship for the student
- The basic information required to understand the various aspects of the internship process
- An understanding of the differences in interns from different level of education and experience
- A basic understanding of the need to maximize the intern’s exposure to the real world of engineering
Course Introduction
This course material is designed to introduce the mentoring engineer to the mentoring process including the benefits and problems to be received by the company and the intern. A brief exposure is provided to the various aspects of the mentoring process and the need to present the intern with a range of experiences. Cautions about various pitfalls and the critical nature of planning ahead for internship program are covered.
Course Content
The course content is in the following PDF files:
Mentoring the Engineering Intern
You need to open or download above documents to study this course.
Course Summary
Completion of this material will provide the engineer with sufficient information to understand the scope of and how to begin the process of mentoring the student.Details of work activities and industrial calculations are discussed. Pitfalls and problems are presented along with some ideas as to their solution or avoidance. A listing of engineering specialties is provided to assist the intern in the career decision.
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
