Potential impact on the recruitment of chemical engineering graduates due to the industrial internship

Preparing, finding and making the transition from a Bachelor degree level to a successful job in the profession of Chemical Engineering requires not only an investment of time and effort but also prior training in a work placement environment, which allows the development and strengthening of the professional skills of the future graduates. A central aspect of this process is the ongoing consideration of an industrial internship to take advantage of the goals, strengths and opportunities that such alternative offers to undergraduate students. The Industrial Internship Program of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Universidade de Santiago de Compostela prepares third- and fourth-year college students to successfully integrate and thrive in the professional world and to have their first experience in a real-life work context, supported by a dynamic community of administrative and teaching staff and employers. Companies that collaborate in the training of future chemical engineers are distributed throughout the national territory, which allows a strong connection with the socioeconomic environment. (C) 2018 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.