2013 Final Year Engineering Student Survey - Québec Report Conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Engineers Canada

1. 2013 Final Year Engineering Student Survey - Québec ReportConducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of Engineers Canada April 2013

2. Table of Contents Research Objectives 3 Methodology 4 Executive Summary 5 Future Plans 9 Intention to Apply for Licensure 18 Licensing Knowledge 29 Knowledge of Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec 35 Knowledge of Professional Engineers Act of Québec 38 Demographics 41 Additional Analysis: Impact on Intention to Pursue Attendance at OIQ Seminars 45 Knowledge of PEA 48 Knowledge of Licensing and Roles 51 Knowledge of Organizational Responsibility 54

3. Research Objectives The primary objective of this research is to understand the reasons why graduates of CEAB accredited engineering programs at Quebec universities do or do not intend to apply for their licence.  In order to achieve this objective, the research seeks to understand the following: • The future career and/or education plans of final year engineering students; • The percentage of final year engineering students who intend to pursue a career in Engineering and the percentage who intend to apply for their P.Eng licence; • Final year engineering students’ level of knowledge of the Professional Engineers Act of their province.

4. Methodology The online survey was conducted between January 18 to March 15, 2013 with final year engineering students. All university Faculties of Engineering with CEAB accredited programs were invited to participate in the study and were asked to send the online survey to all final year engineering students registered in their Engineering program. The link to the online survey was sent to the universities starting January 18 (for Ontario universities) with a second set of links distributed January 24, 2013 (for all other schools). Each university was requested to send the survey link to all qualified students on either January 19, 2013 (Ontario) or January 25, 2013 (all other schools). The survey was offered in both English and French. At the national level, a total of 34 universities participated in the research and 2,501 students completed the survey. Within Quebec specifically, 7 schools participated and a total of n=743 students completed the survey. The margin of error for this study (n=743) is ± 3.6%, 19 times out of 20.

5. Executive Summary Future Intentions: Continuing Education Versus Entering Workforce • Three quarters (76%) of final year engineering students say they intend to go into the workforce after graduating with their bachelors degree in Engineering. • Two in ten (18%) students intend to pursue more education. Of this group, seven in ten plan to get their graduate degree in Engineering (69%), while less than one in ten plan to pursue an MBA (8%) or another professional degree (6%). • Among those students who plan to pursue more education, the vast majority intend to study in Quebec (82%), followed by one in ten who plan to go outside Canada (8%). Future Intentions: Engineering Career • Virtually all students (97%) say they are likely to pursue a career in engineering, seven in ten definitely will (68%) while three in ten probably will (29%). • Very few students (3%) probablywill not pursue a career in engineering, while none indicate they definitely will not. The top reason for not pursuing a career in engineering is that it is not what they thought it would be. • Nearly nine in ten (88%) students say that when they began their studies they planned to practice engineering upon completion of their program. Six in ten students began their undergraduate studies with a definite intention to pursue an engineering career (62%), while one quarter said it was likely (26%).

6. Executive Summary (continued) Future Intentions: Engineering Career (continued) • Consistent with the overall level, nine in ten students who intend to pursue a career in engineering say they were definitely (63%) or likely (25%) to pursue a career in the engineering field when they began their studies. One in ten (12%) say they originally intended to pursue an alternate career. • Further, of those who do not intend to pursue a career in the engineering field, three-quarters say they were definitely (27%) or likely (50%) to pursue a career in engineering when they began their studies. One-quarter (23%) say that was never their intention. Future Intentions: Pursue Licensure • Nearly six in ten of all students (59%) indicate that they definitely intend to apply for licensure, while a further quarter (25%) say they probably will. One in ten probably/ definitely won’t apply (11%), while fewer don’t know (5%) • Of those students who specifically plan to pursue an engineering career, 61% indicate they definitely will and 25% probably will pursue their licence. • Of those who do not intend to immediately pursue their licence, nearly six in ten indicate that they probably or definitely will apply for licensure sometime down the road (56%), while one-third do not foresee themselves applying in the future (33%). • The most cited reasons for not everpursuing their licence is a lack of interest in a career in engineering, that it provides little career advancement or specific mention of a career in software development. • Once told that a licence is required to practice as a professional engineer, three in ten (31%) students who do not intend to pursue their licence change their mind (definitely/ probably will).

7. Executive Summary (continued) Future Intentions: Pursue Licensure (continued) • Of those who intend to pursue their licence, eight in ten students plan to do so within one year (81%), of which six in ten will do so within six months (63%). One in ten plan to apply after a year (8%) or remain undecided (12%). • Among those students who plan to wait at least a year to apply for licensure or are unsure, the most common reason cited is the desire to get more required work experience before applying (72%). • Upon learning that the fee for the first year of the Engineering-in-Training [EIT] program can be waived if they apply within six months of graduation, nearly nine-in-ten (87%) say they are at least likely to apply within 6 months. Knowledge of Engineering Profession • Virtually all students (95%) know that engineering is regulated by legislation. Only 2% believe the profession is not regulated, while 3% don’t know. • Students’ knowledge of the Professional Engineers Act of their respective province is varied, nearly four in ten students (36%) have a fair amount of knowledge, while slightly more (44%) say they know just a little and just 3% know a lot. Two percent (2%) say they have never heard of the Act. • Exactly nine in ten students know that a licence is required to perform engineering work independently (90%), or that a licence is required to use the title ‘Engineer’ (90%). Students are split however on whether a licence is required to practice engineering work under the supervision of a P.Eng, slightly more than half correctly identify that it is not (55%), while one-third believe it is (33%) and one in ten don’t know (11%).

8. Executive Summary (continued) Knowledge of Engineering Profession (continued) • Over eight in ten students are able to correctly identify that OIQ is the organization responsible for licensing engineers (85%) and that it also regulates the practice of professional engineers (79%). Comparatively, two-thirds of students knew that CEAB is the organization that accredits University engineering programs (67%). • Students are split however on which organization licenses companies offering engineering services, half believe it is OIQ (48%), while slightly less than four in ten think it is CEAB (36%) and one quarter simply don’t know (26%).

9. Future Plans

10. Plans After Graduation • Three quarters of students intend on going into the workforce after graduation, while nearly two in ten plan to pursue more education. • Among those who plan to further their education, the vast majority plan to pursue a graduate degree in engineering, while less than one in ten plan to pursue an MBA or another professional degree. Current Plans After Graduation Educational Intentions Mentions <5% are not shown Q12. Which of the following best describes your current plans after you graduate? Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743) Q13. Which of the following best describes the education you plan to pursue? Base: Québec respondents who said “more education” in Q12, 2013 (n=130).

11. Location of Anticipated Graduate Education • Among those students who plan to pursue more education, over eight in ten intend to study in Quebec, followed by less than one in ten who plan to go outside Canada. Location of Graduate Intentions Q13B. Where do you plan to pursue graduate education? Base: Pursue more education after graduation - Québec 2013 (n=130)

12. Intention to Pursue Engineering Career • Virtually all students intend on pursuing a career in the engineering field after completing their education. Do You Plan to Pursue a Career in the Engineering Field? Yes(Top 2 Box) 97%(n=717) No(Low 2 Box) 3%(n=23) Q14. When you complete your education, do you plan to pursue a career in the engineering field? Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743)

13. Reasons for Not Pursuing Engineering • The top reason for not pursuing a career in engineering is that engineering is not what they thought it would be. Due to the small base size for this question (n=26) other mentions are negligible. Reasons for Not Pursuing Engineering Q16. What is the primary reason you decided to pursue a career outside of Engineering? Base: Respondents who said No (definitely /probably) in Q14 2012 (n=26)

14. Intended Career Outside of Engineering Intended Career Outside of Engineering(Does Not Plan to Pursue Engineering Career) Q17. What type of career do you plan to pursue? Base: Québec respondents who said No (definitely /probably) in Q14,2013 (n=26) Mentions may add to more than 100% as respondents were able to provide more than one response Among those who do not intend to pursue a career in Engineering, consulting, medicine and research represent the top career options. Due to the small base size for this question (n=26) results should be interpreted with a degree of caution.

15. Career Plans When Studies Commenced Did You Plan to Practice Engineering When You Began Your Studies? Yes(Top 2 Box) 88%(n=652) No(Low 2 Box) 12%(n=91) Q18. When you began your studies, did you plan to practice engineering when you completed your program? Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743) At nearly nine in ten, the vast majority of students say that when they began their studies they planned to practice engineering upon completion of their program.

16. Current and Prior Career Intentions (among students who intend to pursue a career in engineering) Yes(Top 2 Box) 88%(n=632) No(Low 2 Box) 12%(n=85) Q18. When you began your studies, did you plan to practice engineering when you completed your program? Base: Québec Students who intend to pursue a career in engineering 2013 (n=717) Identical to the overall level, nearly nine in ten students who intend to pursue a career in engineering say they were definitely or likely to do so when they began their studies.

17. Current and Prior Career Intentions (among students who do not intend to pursue a career in engineering) Yes(Top 2 Box) 77%(n=20) 23 No(Low 2 Box) 23%(n=6) 23 Q18. When you began your studies, did you plan to practice engineering when you completed your program? Base: Québec Students who did not intend to pursue a career in engineering 2013(n=26) Of those who did not intend to pursue a career in the engineering field, three-quarters say they were definitely or likely to pursue a career in engineering when they began their studies, while one quarter say that was not their intention.

18. Application Intentions for Professional Engineering Licensure

19. Intention to Apply for Licensure Do You Intend To Apply for Licensure? Yes(Top 2 Box) 84%(n=626) No(Low 2 Box) 11%(n=80) Q21. Do you intend to apply for licensure as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.)? Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743) Six in ten students (59%) indicate that they definitely intend to apply for licensure, while a further quarter (25%) say they probably will. One in ten probably/ definitely won’t apply (11%), while 5% don’t know.

20. Intention to Apply for Licensure- Pursuing Engineering Career Do You Intend To Apply for Licensure? Yes(Top 2 Box) 86%(n=617) No(Low 2 Box) 9%(n=66) Q21. Do you intend to apply for licensure as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.)? Base: Respondents who intend to pursue a career in the engineering field 2013 (n=717) Among those students who intend to pursue a career in engineering, six in ten students (61%) indicate that they definitely intend to apply for licensure, while a further quarter (25%) say they probably will. Less than one in ten probably/ definitely won’t apply (9%) or don’t know (5%)

21. Foresee Applying in Future P.Eng. • Of those students who do not plan on –or- are not sure if they will apply for licensure, nearly six in ten (56%) indicate that they probably or definitely will apply for licensure sometime down the road, while one-third (33%) do not foresee themselves applying in the future and one in ten don’t know (11%). Do You Ever Foresee Yourself Applying for Licensure? Yes(Top 2 Box) No(Low 2 Box) 56%(n=45) 33%(n=26) Q22. Do you ever foresee yourself applying for licensure as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.)? Base: Québec Respondents who said ‘no’ in Q21 2013 (n=80)

22. Reasons for Not Applying for Licensure Why do you not intend to pursue the P.Eng. Licence? Q23. Why do you not intend to apply for licensure as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng)? Base: Québec Respondents who do not ever foresee themselves applying for licensure, 2013 (n=26). Among those who do not plan on –or- are not sure if they will apply for licensure, the most cited reasons for not ever pursuing their licence is a lack of interest, that it provides little career advancement or specific mention of a career in software development. The base size at this question is very small and results should be interpreted with caution.

23. Interest Once Told P.Eng. Licence is Required to Practice • Once told that a licence is required to legally refer to yourself as an engineer and practice as an engineer, three in ten (31%) students who originally did not plan or were unsure of their intentions now indicate they are definitely or probably likely to apply for licensure. Four in ten (39%) still indicate that they do not intend to apply while three in ten (31%) are unsure. Given that a Licence is Required to Practice Engineering, Do You Intend to Apply? No(Low 2 Box) Yes(Top 2 Box) 39%(n=28) 31%(n=22) Q24. Since a license is required to legally refer to yourself as an engineer, or to practice as an engineer, do you plan to apply for your P.Eng. licence? Base: Québec Respondents who do not intend to apply for licensure or are not sure, 2013 (n=72)

24. Application Timeframe • Over eight in ten students who intend to apply for licensure plan to do so within one year (81%), of which six in ten think they will apply within six months of graduation (63%). One in ten intend to apply after a year (8%) or remain undecided (12%). When Do You Plan to Apply for Licensure? Apply Within 1 Year(Top 2 Box) 81%(n=561) Q27. Do you intend to apply for licensure...? Base: Québec respondents who plan to apply for licensure, 2013 (n=693)

25. Reasons for Waiting to Apply • Among those students who plan to wait at least a year to apply for licensure or are unsure, the vast majority cite the desire for required work experience as the reason for the delay or uncertainty. Why Do You Plan to Wait More Than a Year to Apply? Mentions <3% are not shown Q28. Why do you intend to wait more than a year to apply for the P.Eng.? Base: Québec Respondents who said >1yr or don’t know/unsure in Q27, 2013 (n=132)

26. Impact of Waiving EIT Fees on Likelihood to Apply within Six Months • Upon learning that they could be eligible to have their first year EIT fees waived, exactly half (50%) of students who intend to apply for licensure more than a year after graduation say that they are now very likely to apply within six months. Nearly four in ten (38%) are somewhat likely to apply within six months, while less than one in ten (7%) are unlikely to apply in that timeframe or don’t know (6%). (n=81) Would you Apply Within 6 Month if Eligible to Have 1st Year EIT Fees Waived? Likely(Top 2 Box) 87%(n=222) x Unlikely(Low 2 Box) 7%(n=18) x Q29. If you knew that by applying for licensure within 6 months of graduation you could be eligible to have the application and first year EIT program fees waived, how likely would you be to apply for licensure within that time frame? Base: Respondents who do not know or intend to apply for licensure >6 months after graduation, 2013 (n=254)

27. Intended Country of Application • Virtually all final year engineering students (99%) who intend to apply for licensure plan to apply in Canada. Less than two-in-ten (15%) also plan to apply in the US or abroad (16%). Where Do You Intend to Apply for Licensure? 16%(n=109) Abroad Mentions may add to more than 100% as respondents were able to select more than one response Q25. Where do you intend to apply for licensure? Base: Québec Respondents who ever plan to apply for licensure, 2013 (n=693)

28. Province of Intended Licensure • Over nine in ten students who plan to apply for licensure intend to apply in Quebec (94%). Two in ten plan to apply in Ontario (20%), while one in ten plan to apply in British Columbia (11%) or Alberta (10%). Mentions <3% are not shown Q26. Please select the provinces and/or territories in which you intend on applying for licensure. Base: Québec Respondents who plan to apply for licensure in Canada, 2013 (n=686)

29. Licensing Knowledge

30. Engineering Regulated by Legislation • Virtually all students (95%) know that engineering is regulated by legislation. Only 2% believe the profession is not regulated, while 3% don’t know. Is the Practice of Engineering Regulated by Legislation? Q5. As far as you know, is the practice of professional engineering regulated by legislation? Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743)

31. Licensing for Roles within Engineering Is a Licence Required Before Being Able to Do the Following? Q8. As far as you know, is a licence required before being able to do the following in Québec... Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743) Exactly nine in ten students know that a licence is required to perform engineering work independently (90%), or that a licence is required to use the title ‘Engineer’ (90%). Students are split however on whether a licence is required to practice engineering work under the supervision of a P.Eng, slightly more than half correctly identify that it is not (55%), while one-third believe it is (33%) and one in ten don’t know (11%).

32. Knowledge of Licensing and Roles • The vast majority of final year engineering students have a moderate (49%) or high (44%) level of knowledge of when a licence is required to legally perform actions/ duties within the engineering profession. Comparatively, less than one in ten have either little (6%) or no knowledge (1%) on the subject. Knowledge Levels Defined High: All Correct (3) in Q8Moderate: 2 Correct in Q8Low: 1 Correct in Q8None: Zero (0) Correct in Q8 Knowledge Level of Engineering Practices Requiring a Licence High/Moderate(Top 2 Box) 93%(n=689) x Little/None(Low 2 Box) 7%(n=54) x Q8. As far as you know, is a licence required before being able to do the following in Québec.. Base: All Québec respondents 2013 n=(743)

33. 2013 - Which Organization is Responsible for Each of the Follow Activities? Organizational Responsibilities - 2013 Q9. Please indicate the organization responsible for each of the activities/ procedures listed below. Base: All Québec respondents 2013, (n=743) Over eight in ten students are able to correctly identify that OIQ is the organization responsible for licensing engineers (85%) and that it also regulates the practice of professional engineers (79%). Comparatively, two-thirds of students knew that CEAB is the organization that accredits University engineering programs (67%). Students are split however on which organization licenses companies offering engineering services, half believe it is OIQ (48%), while slightly less than four in ten think it is CEAB (36%) and one quarter simply don’t know (26%).

34. Knowledge of Organizational Responsibility • Nearly nine in ten students have either a high (30%) or moderate (57%) level of knowledge concerning organizational responsibilities of activities/ procedures relating to the engineering profession. Slightly more than one in ten have either a low level (9%) or no knowledge (5%) on the subject. Knowledge Level of Organizational Responsibility within the Engineering Profession Knowledge Levels Defined High: All Correct in Q9 (4)Moderate: 2 or 3 Correct in Q9Low: 1 Correct in Q9None: All Incorrect (0) in Q9 High/ Moderate(Top 2 Box) 87%(n=644) x Little/ None(Low 2 Box) 14%(n=99) x Q9. Please indicate the organization responsible for each of the activities/ procedures listed below. Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743)

35. Attendance at OIQ Seminar(s) and awareness of SMP program

36. Attendance of OIQ Seminar • Three in ten (32%) students report having ever attended a seminar or workshop given by a OIQ representative. Ever Attend a OIQ Seminar? Q11. Have you ever attended a workshop/ seminar/ talk given by a OIQ representative? Base: All respondents 2013 (n=743)

37. Association with OIQ’s SMP • Eight in ten students (78%) are aware of OIQ’s Student Membership Programs (SMP). Of which, half are current members (50%) and two in ten have heard of it and are interested in becoming a member (20%). One in ten have heard of the program but are not interested in membership (9%) while two in ten have never heard of the program (22%). Aware(Top 3 Box) 78% (n=579) Q32. Which of the following best describes your association with the OIQ’s Student Membership Program (SMP)? Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743)

38. Professional EngineersAct of Québec

39. Professional Engineers Act of Québec • Over eight in ten students report being familiar with the Professional Engineers Act of Québec. Nearly four in ten (36%) report having a fair amount of knowledge about the Professional Engineers Act, while slightly more (44%) say they know just a little. Very few report they know a lot (3%) while 2% say they have never heard of the Act. How Much Do You Know About the Professional Engineers Act of Québec? Familiar(Top 3 Box) 84%(n=625) x Q6. The practice of engineering is regulated by the Professional Engineers Act of Québec. Which of the following best describes how much you know about the Professional Engineers Act of Québec? Base: All Québec respondents 2013 (n=743)

40. 77% (n=480) Professional Engineers Act of Québec • Close to eight in ten students heard about the Act through a university law and ethics course (55%) or a university professor or administrator (22%). Where Did You First Hear About the Professional Engineers Act of Québec? University prof or course Mentions <5% are not shown Q7. Where did you first hear about the Professional Engineers Act of Québec? Base: Québec respondents who know about the Act 2013 (n=625)

41. Demographics

42. Inspiration for Pursuing Engineering • Four in ten students indicate that a particular individual inspired them to enter engineering specifically. Of those who were inspired, nearly half cite a parent as that individual who motivated them while three in ten mention another family member, one quarter a friend/ acquaintance and two in ten a teacher. • The vast majority indicate that it was a male who inspired them. (n=301) (n=442) Q33B. Thinking back to before you began your current undergraduate program, would you say there was a particular individual(s) or role model(s) who inspired you to study engineering specifically? Base: All Québec respondents, 2013 (n=743). Q33C. What was your relation to this person(s)? Base: Québec Respondents who were inspired by someone to pursue engineering. 2013 (n=301). Q33D. Please indicate the gender of each individual you selected. Base: Québec Respondents who were inspired by someone to pursue engineering.

43. Permanent Residency • Nearly nine in ten final year engineering students are permanent residents of Quebec (89%). Of those who are attending school in Quebec but are a permanent resident of another province, the majority are from Ontario, followed by British Columbia and Alberta. Resident of Another Province/Territory: Q34. For statistical purposes, we would like to know the location of your permanent residence. Please select the statement that most appropriately describes your current residency status: ? Base: All Québec respondents, 2013 (n=743); Q35. You indicated that you are attending university in Québec but are a permanent resident of another province/territory. Please select the province or territory in which you are a permanent resident. Base: Québec Respondents who are not permanent residents of Québec, 2013 (n=31).

44. Engineering Disciplines • The most popular discipline is mechanical engineering (26%), followed by electrical engineering (15%), civil engineering (11%) and building engineering (10%). Mentions <3% (in 2012) are not shown Mentions may add to more than 100% as respondents were able to select more than one response. Q3/Q3B. Please indicate the engineering discipline in which you are currently studying by selecting one of the following options. Base: All Québec respondents, 2013 (n=743).

45. Impact of OIQ Seminar/ Workshop Attendance

46. OIQ Workshop/Seminar Attendance & Intention to Pursue Engineering Career Intentions to Pursue Career within the Engineering Field Intentions to pursue a career within the Engineering field are the same regardless if a student has attended an OIQ workshop/seminar.

47. OIQ Workshop/Seminar Attendance & Intention to Apply for Licensure Intention to Apply for the Professional Engineers Licensure Students who say they have attended a workshop/ seminar given by a representative from OIQ are significantly more likely to say they definitely intend to apply for their P.Eng. licence.

48. Impact of Knowledge of the Professional EngineersAct of Québec

49. Knowledge of Professional Engineers Act of Québec& Intention to Pursue Engineering Career • While there is no significant difference at the overall level, those who have a lot/ fair amount of knowledge of the Professional Engineers Act are significantly more likely to indicate a definite intention to pursue a career in engineering. Intentions to Pursue Career within the Engineering Field

50. Knowledge of Professional Engineers Act of Québec & Intention to Apply for Licensure Intention to Apply for the Professional Engineers Licensure Students with a lot/ fair amount or just a little knowledge about the Professional Engineers Act of Québec are significantly more likely to intend to apply for licensure (definitely or probably).