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Student internship program as Student internship program as Student internship program as benchmarking system for sustainable practice Student internship program as benchmarking system for sustainable practice

August 25, 2011

Annie R. Pearce, Christine M. Fiori, Sandeep Langar, Chayanika Mitra and Kathleen M. Short

Overview Overview Overview Overview

• Introduction

E i i P

• Existing Program
• New Approach
• Pilot Study
• Study
• Benefits and Challenges
• Lessons Learned

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• Conclusion

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.

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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).

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Internships Internships Internships Internships

• Integral part of many programs

Li k b h l d h l

• Link between the classroom and the real

world E t th th d i id f

• Exposure to more than the academic side of

an industry Apply classroom material more effectively

• Apply classroom material more effectively
• Encourage the development of mentoring

relationships

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relationships.

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
• ption for one summer.

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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.

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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

R t d d d id d t th

• Report produced and provided to the

industry Focus upon sustainability practices

• Focus upon sustainability practices

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Methodology Methodology Methodology Methodology

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

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Protocol Development Protocol Development Protocol Development Protocol Development

• Protocols were designed to embody elements
• f the goals for students
• f 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

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The Protocols The Protocols The Protocols The Protocols

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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

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The Pilot The Pilot The Pilot The Pilot

• Summer 2007
• 45 internship

t d t

Corporate Sustainability Practices P33 P35

students

• 36 companies

P23 P25 P27 P29 P31

• Benchmark survey
• f sustainability

practices in

P15 P17 P19 P21 Yes No

practices in employer companies

P5 P7 P9 P11 P13

companies

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0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% P1 P3

Demographics Demographics Demographics Demographics

• Internship – (40)

students reported having i i t hi

Senior

prior internships.

• Self-Employed – (1)

student reported being previously self-employed

Freshmen, 8 Senior, 4

p y p y in the construction industry.

• None – (4) students

reported having had no

Sophomore Junior, 13

reported having had no previous experience inside the construction industry.

Sophomore , 15

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Sustainability Contracting Practices Sustainability Contracting Practices

60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

5 - Don't know

0% 10%

n based on ience or bility

• ntract with

s contracts erformance ainability s/proposals pany ine bidding t based on ad of total 4 - Use on all projects 3 - Use on some projects 2 - tried but didn’t work 1 - never tried

• ntractor selection

stainability experi capabilities Explicit sustainab equirements in co subcontractors es or penalties in ng sustainable pe goals mentation of susta ce as part of bids ubmitted by comp Onl ntractor payment re footage instea materials 15 Subco sus E goals/re Incentive for meetin Docum experienc su Subco squar

Assessment Assessment Assessment Assessment

• Pilot program

F db k f h d

• Feedback from the students
• Review of the data collected

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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.

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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

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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

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Summer 2010 Summer 2010 Summer 2010 Summer 2010

• Summer 2010

12 i hi d

• 12 internship students
• 9 companies
• Benchmark survey of sustainability

practices in employer companies

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Demographics Demographics Demographics Demographics

• Internship – (5) students

reported having prior i t hi

Freshman 0%

• ther

internships.

• Self-Employed – (2)

student reported being previously self-employed

Sophomore 33% Senior 17%

• ther

8%

p y p y in the construction industry.

• None – (5) students

reported having had no

33% Junior 17%

reported having had no previous experience inside the construction industry.

42%

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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.

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Online Survey Online Survey Online Survey Online Survey

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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
• thers experiences and for them to build their

confidence relating to the completion of the g p protocols.

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Sustainable Contracting Practices Sustainable Contracting Practices

120% 60% 80% 100% 20% 40% 60% Not applicable/I don't know Never tried the practice 0% Tried but didn't work out 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

D l d bili i l

• Develop students abilities to complete

independent research I th d t f t iti

• Increase the advancement of meta-cognitive

skills Provide for peer to peer interactions across

• Provide for peer-to-peer interactions across

companies during the internship period

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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

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Challenges Challenges Challenges Challenges

• Obtaining adequate sample size for

assessment of outcomes assessment of outcomes

• Establishing control groups for managing

issues of validity and reliability of data issues of validity and reliability of data collected

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Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Lessons Learned Lessons Learned

• A more rigid assessment will occur in the

future future

• Changes implemented in the program this

upcoming summer upcoming summer

• The faculty are developing more rigorous

assessment surveys for the industry assessment surveys for the industry

• More quantitative assessment measures for

the student learning objectives the student learning objectives

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Conclusions Conclusions Conclusions Conclusions

• The study met the goals that the faculty
• utlined by improving student skill sets
• utlined by improving student skill sets.
• Industry participant will benefit from access to

benchmark information benchmark information

• Opportunities to expand the model to

programs at other universities programs at other universities

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Thank you for your attention Thank you for your attention Thank you for your attention Thank you for your attention

• QUESTIONS?

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