Evaluating Professional Development through Mechatronics Engineering Internship: A Feedback-Based Analysis

Abstract

This paper evaluates the professional development of Mechatronics Engineering students (n=56) at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) through a feedback-based analysis of industrial training collected in Semester 3, 2023/2024. The study incorporates feedback from two perspectives: company supervisors and academic examiners, focusing on targeted Program Outcomes (PO): PO8 (ethics), PO9 (individual and teamwork), and PO10 (communication). Quantitative analysis revealed that company supervisors rated students highest for ethics (PO8, mean = 93.46%), followed by teamwork (PO9, mean = 90.75%), and communication (PO10, mean = 88.69%), with statistically significant differences between groups (p < 0.001). In contrast, marks assessed by IIUM lecturers showed similar averages across PO groups (PO8 = 87.74%, PO9 = 86.83%, PO10 = 86.46%) and no significant differences (p = 0.495). A paired samples t-test further demonstrated that company supervisors awarded significantly higher marks overall than academic lecturers (mean difference = 3.96, t(167) = 4.104, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.32), with a weak correlation between the two assessor groups (r = 0.334, p < 0.001). Preliminary observations suggest that while students generally demonstrate strong ethical behaviors and teamwork, communication skills vary depending on the placement environment. The weak correlation indicates differing assessment perspectives, likely reflecting the contrast between practical, real-time evaluation and more standardized academic appraisal.