Project Details
Description
Purpose: 2020 saw a lack of summer internship opportunities due to pandemic lockdowns and restrictions on travel. The Summer Team Enterprise Programme (STEP) was designed to fill this gap. STEP is a digital development opportunity for undergraduate students and their postgraduate coaches. Participating students develop graduate attributes by working on projects for Schools and Units across the University.
As of summer 2023, 695 students and 88 postgraduate coaches have taken part, supporting 122 student teams working on projects sponsored by Schools and Units. The popularity of STEP is reflected in the exponentially increasing interest from students. Our project will look forward and back in time to investigate the impact of STEP participation on students’ personal effectiveness, skills, and career development.
Past participants (2020-2023) and upcoming participants (2024) will be contacted and invited to take part in the research. We will review blog posts and reflective writing that were submitted as part of STEP, alongside demographic surveys, questionnaires, and one-to-one interviews of career progression post-STEP. Those that are taking part this summer will be asked to complete pre- and post-STEP graduate ability profiles to investigate the immediate impact of STEP on skills development, as well as sharing their reflective writing. Ethical review will be sought through the Computer Science SEC, which has approved a project like our proposed methodology (CItEE (Creating Impact Through Entrepreneurial Education)) for the 2024 intake.
This project will provide a solid evidence base for the impact of STEP on student development and give insights into how the programme might be strengthened for the future.
As of summer 2023, 695 students and 88 postgraduate coaches have taken part, supporting 122 student teams working on projects sponsored by Schools and Units. The popularity of STEP is reflected in the exponentially increasing interest from students. Our project will look forward and back in time to investigate the impact of STEP participation on students’ personal effectiveness, skills, and career development.
Past participants (2020-2023) and upcoming participants (2024) will be contacted and invited to take part in the research. We will review blog posts and reflective writing that were submitted as part of STEP, alongside demographic surveys, questionnaires, and one-to-one interviews of career progression post-STEP. Those that are taking part this summer will be asked to complete pre- and post-STEP graduate ability profiles to investigate the immediate impact of STEP on skills development, as well as sharing their reflective writing. Ethical review will be sought through the Computer Science SEC, which has approved a project like our proposed methodology (CItEE (Creating Impact Through Entrepreneurial Education)) for the 2024 intake.
This project will provide a solid evidence base for the impact of STEP on student development and give insights into how the programme might be strengthened for the future.
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Effective start/end date | 20/05/24 → 31/12/24 |
Funding
- CELPiE Community for Evidence-Led Practice in Education: £1,500.00
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