Year after year, engineering students at the University of Florida face a similar challenge: internships can shape their future, but they’re unsure of which opportunities will match their goals, abilities and emerging sense of self as engineers. A new artificial intelligence system, developed by UF researchers, aims to make the decision easier.
Pro-CaRE, created by a multidisciplinary team from the College of Education and the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, uses AI to help students identify internships that best support their development. The system not only predicts which opportunities match a student’s needs but also explains the “why” behind the recommendations. Researchers say it could influence how engineering students navigate early careers by combining technology with a deeper understanding of identity, belonging and confidence.
“Internships are one of the most critical parts of an engineering education, but students often struggle to know which experiences will actually help them grow,” said Jinnie Shin, Ph.D., an assistant professor of research and evaluation methodology.
“What makes Pro-CaRE unique is that it doesn’t just offer a list of options. It provides personalized recommendations backed by data and tells students clearly why an opportunity is a good match for them.”
Pro-CaRE begins with a survey that analyzes responses tied to metrics such as engineering identity, self-efficacy, sense of belonging and other non-cognitive factors known to influence retention in STEM fields. Shin mentioned that during pilot testing, Pro-CaRE accounted for more than 72 percent of differences in learning gains among students.
For Bruce Carroll, Ph.D., an instructional professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering, Pro-CaRE addresses a long-standing gap in engineering advising. After two decades overseeing undergraduate programs, Carroll saw first-hand how overwhelmed students are by internship options. “There’s a big career showcase every year or every semester,” Carroll said. “You stand in line and you get to talk to somebody for three minutes and it’s not personal.”
He also highlighted that job descriptions and academic language often don’t match.“The employers are talking one language…and here in the university, we have a different language, And it’s not obvious how they overlap,” Pro-CaRE attempts to reduce this gap by translating employer needs to the skills students learn in the classroom.
Pro-CaRE also reflects years of research by Kent Crippen, Ph.D., a professor of STEM education. Crippen and Carroll worked together to research how undergraduate advising can be improved, especially in terms of internships and their identity within the major. Crippen said the tool is meant to be used in collaboration with human advising. Advisors provide essential context, reassurance to students and interpretation that artificial intelligence cannot offer.
“The tech is intended to compliment a human process,” he said. “Using an internship to build your knowledge skills and understanding to help the people who are mentoring you in that process as well.”
Currently, Pro-CaRE is designed for mechanical and aerospace engineering students. The team envisions the system expanding first across engineering and eventually to other disciplines. They also see potential for mentorship within Pro-CaRE, where students can be matched with similar students in terms of past internships, skillsets and interests.
Crippen summarized the mission of Pro-CaRE in a single sentence:
“Pro-CaRE supports the learning and development of early-career engineers by emphasizing the value of authentic, practical work experiences.”
Story by: Daniela Villarreal
Fourth-Year Business Administration Student and Master’s in Marketing Candidate
UF Warrington College of Business
Editing by: Katherine Canev
Marketing & Communications Student Assistant
UF Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering