Internship in Engineering Design in Hi-Tech Industries: Theory and Practice

The rapid technological development in the area of electrical and electronic engineering has caused a continuous regeneration of knowledge in this field. Recent studies have indicated that engineering knowledge doubles every 10 years. The time constraints of the existing learning frame towards a B.Sc. degree, does not allow for the inclusion of all the accumulated experience in high-tech industries within the engineering curriculum, not to mention predicted needs of new upcoming knowledge. Therefore, many researchers believe that new graduates should be equipped with more professional skills, at the expense of knowledge content. Development of cognitive engineering skills in the course of studies toward a B.Sc. degree can assist the student in the difficult transition from academia to industry. Such cultivation of engineering thinking may reduce the gap between knowledge and skills acquired by the novice graduate and market demands. This approach may serve as leverage for the future success of the student. Internship is an obligatory requirement in the Department of EEE of the Academic College for Engineering ORT Braude. This article reviews 15 years experience implementing internship at more than 150 hi-tech plants and research institutes. More than 500 graduates experienced the process of engineering design during the course of their internship. This article presents the results of a longitudinal study of students'' skills and attitudes with respect to the internship process. Furthermore, engineering thinking development of students while performing their first engineering design project in industry was also investigated. We concentrated on the following questions: 1) What are the main characteristics of engineering thinking that are expressed by students during their final project? 2) What roles do these characteristics play during the process of the project? Qualitative research methodology was applied based on the analysis of the interviews and monthly and final project reports. The findings demonstrate that the industrial environment forces the learner to find practical solutions, while developing systems thinking, reflective thinking and real problem solving.. Creative and algorithmic routine thinking have also emerged in engineering thinking. This study aims to contribute significantly to the accumulated knowledge about engineering thinking and its development among engineering students in the course of their internship project.