Objective: Students will explore various engineering career pathways by interviewing a professional engineer, gaining insights into their career, educational background, and daily responsibilities.
Time: 45± minutes
Materials:
- Interview questions (prepared in advance)
- Recording devices (optional, e.g., audio or video recorder)
- Note-taking materials
Instructions:
- Preparation: Before the activity, introduce students to the concept of engineering career pathways. Discuss different engineering disciplines and their applications.
- Research: Assign each student or group of students a specific engineering discipline (e.g., mechanical engineering, civil engineering, biomedical engineering, etc.). Instruct them to research the field and prepare interview questions.
- Guest Engineer: Invite a professional engineer to visit the class virtually or in person. Alternatively, you can conduct a virtual interview with an engineer using video conferencing tools.
- Interview Session: During the interview, students take turns asking their prepared questions. Encourage them to inquire about the engineer’s educational background, work experience, favorite projects, and daily tasks.
- Reflection: After the interview, students should reflect on what they have learned about the engineer’s career pathway. Discuss as a class the variety of engineering disciplines and the impact of engineers in various industries.