Abstract

With a growing demand for civil engineers in the United States, understanding factors that influence students to choose civil engineering (CE) as a major in college, pursue an M.S. degree in CE, and persist in the CE industry can lead to valuable insights for recruitment and retention of future and current civil engineers. Additionally, understanding factors that prominently influence male and female civil engineers to persist in and depart from CE, separately, can lead to valuable insight towards improving focused recruitment and retention of both genders. This thesis includes three research studies that identify, analyze, and discuss these important factors. For this research, data were utilized from three questionnaire surveys conducted through the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering at Brigham Young University (BYU). The first two surveys were administered to CE undergraduate students through a required junior-level materials engineering course (CCE 306) at BYU. A total of 1071 students, comprising 214 females and 857 males, completed these surveys. The third survey was administered to BYU CE alumni through an online surveying platform. This survey was completed by 458 participants, 369 males and 89 females, with a response rate of 27.4%. The results from this research revealed that CE students, graduates, and professionals are influenced by a variety of factors. Each paper identifies, analyzes, and discusses the factors that prominently influenced each survey population. The following factors were mentioned in each of the three surveys, and therefore, were factors that influenced all three groups to pursue or persist in CE: influential people, family responsibilities, knowledge, problem solving, passions, service, salary, job opportunities, job stability, and work experiences. The results from this research also revealed several similarities and differences in responses from male and female participants. The results of this research can help guide educators and professionals to make changes towards improving recruitment and retention of CE undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals. Additionally, this research can help guide the industry to make changes towards improving recruitment and retention of both male and female civil engineers.

Degree

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering

Rights

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