Student internship program as Student internship program as Student - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Student internship program as Student internship program as Student internship program as Student internship program as benchmarking system for benchmarking system for sustainable practice sustainable practice Annie R. Pearce, Christine M. Fiori, Sandeep Langar, August 25, 2011 Chayanika Mitra and Kathleen M. Short

Overview Overview Overview Overview • Introduction • Existing Program E i i P • New Approach • Pilot Study • Study • Benefits and Challenges • Lessons Learned • Conclusion 2

Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction • Sustainable practices and technologies have entered the forefront of construction industry entered the forefront of construction industry (Ahn and Pearce 2007). • Establishing benchmarking system for current • Establishing benchmarking system for current sustainable practices. 3

Benchmarking Benchmarking Benchmarking Benchmarking • Benchmarking - continuous process of measuring products services and practices measuring products, services, and practices against the toughest competitors or those recognized as industry leaders (CII) recognized as industry leaders (CII). 4

Internships Internships Internships Internships • Integral part of many programs • Link between the classroom and the real Li k b h l d h l world • Exposure to more than the academic side of E t th th d i id f an industry • Apply classroom material more effectively Apply classroom material more effectively • Encourage the development of mentoring relationships relationships. 5

Existing Program Existing Program Existing Program Existing Program • Participation: • 100% of graduates had at least one summer internship experience • 68% enrolled in the internship for credit option for one summer. 6

New Approach - SLICES New Approach - SLICES New Approach SLICES New Approach SLICES • Synergistic Learning & Inquiry through Characterizing the Environment for Characterizing the Environment for Sustainability • Benchmarking current sustainability related • Benchmarking current sustainability related best practices in A/E/C industry via student internships. internships. 7

Methodology Methodology Methodology Methodology • Interns could help faculty collect data relating to current company practices to current company practices • Collected data would be analyzed by faculty • Report produced and provided to the R t d d d id d t th industry • Focus upon sustainability practices Focus upon sustainability practices 8

Methodology Methodology Methodology Methodology Industry Student Develop Partner Data Briefing Data Analysis Protocols Briefing Collection Session Session 9

Protocol Development Protocol Development Protocol Development Protocol Development • Protocols were designed to embody elements of the goals for students of the goals for students • Protocols required the students to be resourceful in their data collection methods resourceful in their data collection methods • Forced them to move beyond their level of comfort comfort 10

The Protocols The Protocols The Protocols The Protocols 11

Briefing Session Briefing Session Briefing Session Briefing Session • Information and instruction session • Interactive presentation regarding interviewing protocols and practices • Industry partners were also briefed about the changes in the program g p g 12

The Pilot The Pilot The Pilot The Pilot • Summer 2007 Corporate Sustainability Practices • 45 internship P35 P33 students t d t P31 P29 P27 • 36 companies P25 P23 • Benchmark survey P21 P19 Yes of sustainability No P17 P15 practices in practices in P13 P11 employer P9 P7 companies companies P5 P3 P1 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 13

Demographics Demographics Demographics Demographics • Internship – (40) students reported having Senior, Senior prior internships. i i t hi 4 • Self-Employed – (1) Freshmen, student reported being 8 previously self-employed p y p y in the construction industry. Junior, 13 • None – (4) students reported having had no reported having had no Sophomore Sophomore previous experience , 15 inside the construction industry. 14

15 100% 10% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 0% Subco ontractor selection n based on sus stainability experi ience or capabilities Sustainability Contracting Practices Sustainability Contracting Practices E Explicit sustainab bility goals/re equirements in co ontract with subcontractors s Incentive es or penalties in contracts for meetin ng sustainable pe erformance goals Docum mentation of susta ainability experienc ce as part of bids s/proposals su ubmitted by comp pany Onl ine bidding Subco ntractor payment t based on squar re footage instea ad of total materials 1 - never tried 2 - tried but didn’t work 3 - Use on some projects 4 - Use on all projects 5 - Don't know

Assessment Assessment Assessment Assessment • Pilot program • Feedback from the students F db k f h d • Review of the data collected 16

Student Feedback Student Feedback Student Feedback Student Feedback • Protocols should be distributed to the students prior to beginning their internships students prior to beginning their internships. • Protocols should be reviewed for repetitive information and should be more succinct in information and should be more succinct in format. 17

Student Feedback Student Feedback Student Feedback Student Feedback • Learned more information about their companies companies • Improved comfort level of the students interviewing higher-ups in their companies interviewing “higher ups” in their companies • Enjoyed researching sustainable practices and presenting them to their companies and presenting them to their companies • Liked the Blackboard discussion postings • Developed a better relationship with their • Developed a better relationship with their employers 18

Implementation Tips Implementation Tips Implementation Tips Implementation Tips • Pre-internship training on etiquette, interview methods and basic communication skills methods, and basic communication skills • Contact participating companies ahead of time to introduce the requirements introduce the requirements • Complete the first protocol during the semester before the internship • Discuss managing priorities when collecting data. • Faculty must be realistic about the data collected 19

Summer 2010 Summer 2010 Summer 2010 Summer 2010 • Summer 2010 • 12 internship students 12 i hi d • 9 companies • Benchmark survey of sustainability practices in employer companies 20

Demographics Demographics Demographics Demographics Freshman • Internship – (5) students 0% reported having prior other other internships. i t hi 8% • Self-Employed – (2) student reported being Senior Sophomore previously self-employed p y p y 17% 17% 33% 33% in the construction industry. • None – (5) students Junior reported having had no reported having had no 42% previous experience inside the construction industry. 21

Implementation Implementation Implementation Implementation • Protocols distributed to the students via a Scholar Site at one to two week increments Scholar Site at one to two week increments throughout the summer. • The students completed the protocols and • The students completed the protocols and submitted them through an online survey mechanism that automatically compiled data. mechanism that automatically compiled data. 22

Online Survey Online Survey Online Survey Online Survey 23

Peer-to-Peer Peer-to-Peer Peer to Peer Peer to Peer • Students posted comments on a discussion board hosted board hosted • Faculty monitored the discussion board and responded to student questions and responded to student questions and suggestions • The goal was to enable students to learn from • The goal was to enable students to learn from others experiences and for them to build their confidence relating to the completion of the g p protocols. 24

Sustainable Contracting Practices Sustainable Contracting Practices 120% 100% 80% 60% 60% Not applicable/I don't know 40% Never tried the practice 20% Tried but didn't work out 0% Presently use the practice on some of our projects Presently use the practice on all of our projects p j 25

Benefits Benefits Benefits Benefits • Improve interpersonal skills and leadership • Develop students abilities to complete D l d bili i l independent research • Increase the advancement of meta-cognitive I th d t f t iti skills • Provide for peer-to-peer interactions across Provide for peer to peer interactions across companies during the internship period 26

Challenges Challenges Challenges Challenges • Develop specific, rigorous protocols that could be easily administered could be easily administered • Five protocols were developed for the program program • Protocols focused upon different aspects of the adoption of sustainable construction the adoption of sustainable construction practices 27