Track 13 - Engineering and technological learning in educational and professional contexts Authors: Diogo Ribeiro, Tiago Abreu, Rui Camposinhos, Carlos Félix, Rui Gomes dos Santos, Maria de Fátima Portela and Sílvia Azevedo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDlbMYGk3Qs&index=7&list=PLboNOuyyzZ87-gGeuVN46ybC0Xl0-pDUu

1. ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF ISEP
Diogo Ribeiro, Tiago Abreu, Rui Camposinhos, Carlos Félix, Rui Santos, Maria Portela, Sílvia Azevedo

2. Contents
1. Overview
2. List of companies of DEC-ISEP: strategy and implementation
3. Monitoring internships
4. Conclusions

3. 1. Overview
Promoting professional nature internships has been a growing commitment on the
part of polytechnic education institutions in Portugal, allowing to address some of
the polytechnic higher education purposes specified in DL 74/2006 and marking a
difference from university education.
The promotion of scientific internships in business environment in higher education
degree courses has had a strong impact on increasing the employability of students.
In the area of civil engineering promoting professional nature internships is not as
entrenched as in other areas of engineering, essentially due to the unfavorable
economic situation faced by the country in recent years, particularly in the
construction and public works sector. Also a significant number of construction
companies does business in areas where the research, development and innovation
are still undervalued.

4. Established in 2012-13 with the aim of providing internship offers to final year students of
the Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering (MEC).
At the time of the list of companies’ constitution the number of students to undertake
internships was negligible. With the formalization and disclosure of the list of companies
the number of students interested in carrying out internships increased significantly.
12
31
50
15
33
55
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
Number of available internships
Number of applications
2. List of companies of DEC-ISEP

5. School
Possible recognition by companies of the training
quality of the school and the skills and knowledge
of their students;
Increasing of the employment rate of graduates
with added-value on prestige and attractiveness of
the course;
Approach to the business world providing new
partnerships, in terms of consultancy, specialized
technical training and R&D projects;
Media visibility and recognition of merit by the
public opinion that can add to the prestige and
success of the courses.
2. List of companies of DEC-ISEP

6. Students
Opt for a academic work usually more suited to the
profile of students of polytechnic education (more
focused on the know-how and practical part);
Output for the labor market with a professional
experience lasting 6-12 months;
Chance to demonstrate their skills in a business
environment and depend on their performance
and dedication for a possible job opportunity;
Success stories of students who after completing
the internship became part of the staff of
companies.
2. List of companies of DEC-ISEP

7. Companies
Companies with partnership agreement:
12 (2012-13), 26 (2013-14) and 44 (2014-15).
Mostly located in the northern region of Portugal, in
districts of Porto, Braga, Aveiro and Viana do Castelo;
Offer internships in 4 specific areas of Civil
Engineering: civil works, structures, infrastructure and
construction management;
In 2014-15 it should be noted some peculiarities of the
companies’ profile:
- 35 private and 9 public companies;
- the majority invest in value research activities,
development and innovation;
- key actors in international markets.
2. List of companies of DEC-ISEP

8. 2. List of companies of DEC-ISEP

9. 3. Monitoring internships
• Surveys:
Supervisors
Students
Companies
Application forms available online

10. • Response to the survey – Supervisors
Response to the survey - ISEP Supervisors
Not at all
satisfied
Somewhat
Satisfied
Satisfied
Very
satisfied
Fully
satisfied
Promoting the link between the ISEP and the labor market 0,0% 0,0% 42,9% 42,9% 14,3%
Importance of the internships developed within the company 7,1% 7,1% 35,7% 42,9% 7,1%
Work carried out corresponding to expectations 7,1% 14,3% 28,6% 42,9% 7,1%
Student autonomy 7,1% 7,1% 28,6% 50,0% 7,1%
Student determination and commitment 7,1% 0,0% 14,3% 64,3% 14,3%
Student punctuality 7,1% 0,0% 35,7% 35,7% 21,4%
Student planning capacity and organization 7,1% 14,3% 57,1% 21,4% 0,0%
Level of compliance of the expected objectives 7,1% 7,1% 21,4% 50,0% 14,3%
Overall functioning of the internship 13,3% 6,7% 13,3% 53,3% 13,3%
3. Monitoring internships

11. Initiative to create a list of companies of DEC-ISEP
• Response to the survey – Supervisors
3. Monitoring internships

12. • Response to the survey – Students
Response to the survey - Students
Not at all
satisfied
Somewhat
Satisfied
Satisfied
Very
satisfied
Fully
satisfied
Promoting the link between the ISEP and the labor market 2.9% 5.9% 35.3% 29.4% 26.5%
Articulation student / company's supervisor 8.8% 17.6% 17.6% 14.7% 41.2%
Articulation student / ISEP's supervisor 2.9% 17.6% 5.9% 23.5% 50.0%
Learning environment in the company 2.9% 26.5% 17.6% 5.9% 47.1%
Prior preparation regarding the level of work and difficulties required 2.9% 14.7% 44.1% 23.5% 14.7%
Acquisition of knowledge and technical and professional skills 2.9% 29.4% 14.7% 14.7% 38.2%
Availability and accessibility of the company supervisor 11.8% 8.8% 23.5% 11.8% 44.1%
Internship appropriateness in relation to initial expectations 0.0% 32.4% 20.6% 20.6% 26.5%
Overall functioning of the internship 2.9% 23.5% 26.5% 20.6% 26.5%
3. Monitoring internships

13. • Response to the survey – Students
If you had a new possibility to choose one of the
modalities to complete DIPRE, what would you choose?
3. Monitoring internships

14. • Response to the survey – Companies
Response to the survey - Companies
Not at all
satisfied
Somewhat
Satisfied
Satisfied
Very
satisfied
Fully
satisfied
Promoting the link between the ISEP and the labor market 0,0% 0,0% 34,5% 58,6% 6,9%
Internship importance to the company 0,0% 0,0% 34,5% 51,7% 13,8%
Student's preparation regarding the level of work and difficulties required 0,0% 0,0% 37,9% 51,7% 10,3%
Work carried out corresponding to expectations 0,0% 0,0% 10,3% 75,9% 13,8%
Student autonomy 0,0% 0,0% 20,7% 69,0% 10,3%
Student punctuality and attendance 3,4% 0,0% 3,4% 51,7% 41,4%
Student planning capacity and organization 0,0% 3,4% 20,7% 62,1% 13,8%
Level of compliance of the expected objectives 0,0% 0,0% 6,9% 69,0% 24,1%
Overall functioning of the internship 0,0% 0,0% 10,3% 79,3% 10,3%
3. Monitoring internships

15. • Response to the survey – Companies
In case of job opportunities, would you equate
the possibility of hiring the internship student?
3. Monitoring internships

16. Experience of the Civil Engineering Department of ISEP to promote
academic internship for master students;
The initiative of the companies’ list creation was considered to be
very important by most stakeholders;
High degree of satisfaction shown by supervisors and companies;
Students present more diverging opinions, but most of them
reveal to be very satisfied or completely satisfied with the
internship.
4. Conclusions

17. THANK YOU
Civil Engineering Department of ISEP
dec@isep.ipp.pt