Evaluating the Impact of Participation in the SAEINDIA Collegiate Club Activities on Engineering Education

Abstract

The paper assesses the impact the involvement of Engineering students has on the academics, employability and personal development in SAEIndia Club. The study discusses the skill gap in engineering education and the degree of impact of extracurricular activities in promoting holistic development of engineering graduates through a thorough review of literature. Using a mixed approach of multiple statistical analysis which include correlation analysis, paired t-Tests and Chi-Sqaure tests, the paper evaluates the viable outcomes that the candidates have experienced in terms of their leadership development, career advancement, academic performance and alignment of the activities of the club towards curriculum. The outcomes indicate significant implications on the candidates who involve in the club activities for a longer period with improvements evident on lines of improved communication skills, project management abilities, and at large leadership skills The influence is found to be uniform across demography: both male and female though a considerable difference is found in leadership positions held with male candidates holding higher positions. This difference is attributed to the factors like travel, physical exertions and limited facilities at the competition sites which is detrimental and also refers to creation of a conducive environment across the competitions at various stages to make it apt for female participants as well. While the impact is evident and promising, the study also refers to the fact that the activities and objectives need to be streamline to cater to a larger audience and hence help building the essential skills both technical and life skills. The data backed study points at the difference that the club has made to the candidates who were part of it. This refers to the need for more technical clubs that can drive skilling and aid in preparing engineers who are future-ready. This will also enable institutions to bridge the gap between knowledge delivered in classrooms and the practical skill sets that the industry looks to help graduates build a career in the contemporary world.