Modeling the effects of involvement and attitudes on energy industry pursuit intentions: A systems analysis of the university-industry environment

1 online resource (197 pages) : PDF

2016

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The energy industry’s struggle to attract and retain qualified employees continues to threaten the nation’s economy, global competitiveness, and national security. Given the nationwide skills and labor shortage in the energy industry, this study was conducted in response to a need to identify causes of person-environment fit and its effects on engineering students’ intentions to work in the energy industry after graduation. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships between student inputs, environmental factors, and career-related outcomes. Two models were compared using data collected from 381 undergraduate engineering students from across the country. Results suggest that students who gained knowledge about professions in the energy industry from participating in an internship or co-op at an energy-related company perceived greater fit with the goals and values of the energy industry. In addition, this study found that students who perceive high levels of fit with the energy industry also have high industry attraction, which directly affects their energy industry pursuit intentions. Overall, this research indicates that high quality internships have the potential to increase students’ perceived industry fit, which is closely tied to their career intentions. Outcomes of this study are expected to provide stakeholders with new insights to improve practices within the university-industry environment that will educate, promote, and sustain a strong energy workforce for years to come.

doctoral dissertations

Power resources
Psychology, Industrial
System theory

Ph.D.

Energy Industry
Engineering Students
Person-Environment Fit
Structural Equation Modeling
University-Industry Partnerships
Workforce Development

Infrastructure & Environmental Systems

Tolley, Patricia

Dika, Sandra
Elling, Theodore
Ogle, Michael
Shanock, Linda
Tempest, Brett

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 2016.

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Gross_uncc_0694D_11034

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/etd:955