How do I feel about being an Engineer?
What are my feelings about being an engineer and how do they effect me?
- Engineering Career Success Expectations dives deeper into what future engineers may expect their career in engineering to provide for them. This, in part, shines a light on the engineer’s motivations for pursuing this career.
- Coping Self-Efficacy is designed to assess a student’s ability to cope in stressful situations and examine how well coping behaviors are performed. Unlike the other two aspect, the user’s score in this category should provide quantitative data on how well they cope with difficult or challenging situations.
- Feelings of Inclusion explores how engineers views themselves among their peers in an engineering environment. An understanding of how they relate to the people in their classes and extra-curricular activities.
How do I feel about being an engineer?
What do these percentages mean? Recommendations?(Click the arrow to expand)
Very low feelings about being an engineer: 0-19%
The student finds it incredibly difficult to find a place in engineering and may have incredibly negative career expectations. This can also result in struggling to cope with challenges.
Low feelings about being an engineer: 20-39%
The student may not feel accepted in the engineering community and may have poor engineering career expectations. They can seldom cope with challenges.
Doesn’t feel strongly either way: 40-59%
Student may not have a set place in engineering, but may feel accepted. The student can sometimes cope with challenges.
High feelings about being an engineers: 60-79%
Student feels accepted and has a place within the engineering community. The student has positive career expectations and is aware of resources to overcome the challenges of engineering.
Very high feelings about being an engineer: 80-100%
Student feels supported within the engineering community and has many resources available for support through the challenges of engineering. They also like have very positive career expectations.
How can I learn more about what aspects effect how I feel about being an engineer?
The graphics below show the scoring scales for each aspect. Each graphic highlights possible reasons why a student may have scored high or low. Beneath each graphic are suggested actions for students to take if they wish to improve their score in that aspect, thus increasing their overall EPS score.
I feel I can relate to people in my class or activities
(Feeling of Inclusion)
What do these percentages mean? Recommendations?(Click the arrow to expand)
Very low feelings of being able to relate: 0-28%
Student responded primary “Strongly disagree” and “Disagree” to the statements. Feels a strong sense of exclusion from the community and rarely feels included within the academic community.
Low feelings being able to relate: 28%-42%
Student responded with mostly disagree and some agree to the statements. Mostly feels excluded, but at times, may encounter inclusive situations.
Doesn’t feel strongly either way: 42% – 56%
Student doesn’t necessarily feel exclusive but doesn’t feel a strong sense of inclusion in their academic environment.
High feelings being able to relate: 56% – 70%
Student responded with mostly agree and some disagree to the statements. Mostly feels inclusive, but at times, may encounter exclusive situations.
Very high feelings being able to relate: 70%- 100%
Student responded with mostly Strongly agree and Agree to the statements. Feels a strong sense of inclusion from the community and rarely feels excluded within their academic community.
Recommendations for Improvement of Feelings of Inclusion Score/Influence:
- Join engineering organization, program, or society to connect to other engineers and students of similar majors.
- Find common ground regarding engineering interests with peers and discuss class interests or even struggles with them.
- Research ways of effective methods of collaboration and teamwork. Attend a seminar or workshop with CWIT, Meyerhoff, or the Counseling Center around these topics.
I feel I can fit into an engineering career and be treated fairly
(Engineering Career Success Expectations)
What do these percentages mean? Recommendations?(Click the arrow to expand)
Very low feeling of fitting in and being treated fairly: 0-28%
Student has a very low perspective of themselves “fitting” and “succeeding” in an engineering career. Student at this level is usually very unconfident in their abilities and likely has had bad experiences in their classes and/or work experience.
Low of fitting in and being treated fairly: 29-42%
Student has a low perspective of themselves “fitting” and “succeeding” in an engineering career.
Doesn’t feel strongly either way: 43-56%
Student may feel somewhat able to fit and succeed in a career in engineering.
High of fitting in and being treated fairly: 55-70%
Student has a strong perspective of themselves “fitting” and “succeeding” in an engineering career. At this level, the student will feel confident in their field, although may have some doubt at times.
Very high of fitting in and being treated fairly: 71-100%
Student has a very high perspective of themselves “fitting” and “succeeding” in an engineering career. The student may doubt occasionally, but overall is very confident in their ability to be successful.
Recommendations for Improvement of Engineering Career Success Expectations Score/Influence:
- Attend a seminar or workshop with CWIT, Meyerhoff, or the Counseling Center around topics of interviewing, impostor syndrome, resume building, etc.
- To improve success in landing an internship/research/other experiences, talk with a peer mentor, upperclassmen students, students in your courses about their methods of obtaining their internship/research/etc.
- Work to improve engineering knowledge/confidence in courses. Identify your strengths and how you can best use them to be an effective engineer with resources such as the Career Center.
I feel I can deal with or overcome problems and difficulties
(Coping Self-Efficacy)
What do these percentages mean?(Click the arrow to expand)
Very low of being able to deal with or overcome problems: 0-28%
The student has a very low ability to deal with and attempt to overcome problems and difficulties. This person may feel they are a failure and may apply this attitude toward most of their classes. They may also struggle to cope with disapproval from their peers.
Low feeling of being able to deal with or overcome problems: 28-42%
The student has a very low ability to deal with and attempt to overcome problems and difficulties. Occasionally, the student is able to persevere and overcome some challenges, but they are few.
Doesn’t feel strongly either way: 42-56%
The student at this level may be able to deal and overcome some challenges, but will still find themselves in various situations unable to deal with some failures or difficult situations.
High coping of being able to deal with or overcome problems: 56-70%
The students has a fairly high ability to deal and overcome problems and difficulties.
Very high coping of being able to deal with or overcome problems: 70-100%
The student is able to deal and overcome most, if not all, problems and difficulties. Likely can easily cope with disapproval or disagreements with peers or other members of the engineering community.
Recommendations for Improvement of Coping Self-Efficacy Score/Influence:
- Make an appointment with the Counseling Center to discuss good coping mechanisms on challenges/difficulties.
- Form study groups to work closely with peers on homework and quizzes/exams to teach, learn from, and support each other.
- Talk to mentor/advisor/professor about tools of success in courses and engineering, discuss stress, and ways they may deal with them.