提高个人进入STEM职业的速度仍然是一个国家关注的问题。STEM领域目前正面临着与合格工人一起填补工作的危机,这表明STEM工作是可用的,但仍然开放,等待合格的毕业生。尽管研究人员之前已经调查了人口统计学和流失率等变量,因为缺乏STEM毕业生来填补这些职位空缺,有一个额外的研究,以检查额外的职业相关变量的影响是至关重要的。探索以生物学为重点的职业发展课程(CDC)的影响,我们调查了277名在最后一个学期参加CDC的生物专业学生.受访者被要求描述他们对CDC中包含的专业发展模块的看法,并描述如果CDC在其学术生涯早期可用,他们会做什么不同。我们将数据分析扎根于科学和生物学身份框架中。与早期的身份研究一致,我们发现与CDC的参与增强了学生在生物学方面的表现/能力和作为生物学家的认可,两个因素对身份形成很重要。此外,我们表明,学生们更喜欢在他们的学术生涯早期有CDC。总的来说,我们的数据以两种新颖的方式促进了我们对生物学专业学生职业发展的理解。首先,我们提供了急需的定性数据,突出了以生物学为重点的CDC的潜在机制.第二,我们提供的定量和定性数据都集中在疾病预防控制中心的时间,在生物学中尚未被有意探讨的话题。
Improving the rate at which individuals enter into STEM careers remains a national concern. STEM fields are currently facing a crisis with respect to filling jobs with qualified workers, suggesting that STEM jobs are available yet remain open and waiting for qualified graduates. Although researchers have previously investigated variables such as demographics and attrition rates for the lack of STEM graduates available to fill these job vacancies, there is a critical need for additional research examining the impact of additional career-related variables. To explore the impact of a
biology-focused career development course (CDC), we surveyed 277
biology majors in their final semester who participated in the CDC. Respondents were asked to describe their perceptions of the professional development modules contained within the CDC and to describe what they would have done differently had the CDC been available earlier in their academic career. We grounded data analysis in science and
biology identity frameworks. In agreement with earlier identity studies, we found that engagement with the CDC enhanced student\'s performance/competence in
biology and recognition as a biologist, two factors that are important for identity formation. Additionally, we show that students prefer to have the CDC earlier in their academic careers. Collectively, our data advance our understanding of career development of
biology majors in two novel ways. First, we provide much needed qualitative data highlighting the mechanisms underlying the
biology-focused CDC. Second, we provide both quantitative and qualitative data focused on the timing of the CDC, a topic which has not yet been purposely explored in biology.