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This research paper describes how engineering juniors and seniors perceive the influence of socializers on their post-graduation career planning. Grounded in Expectancy x Value Theory (EVT), this qualitative investigation is part of a sequential mixed-methods study that included two survey phases and an interview phase. An exploratory analysis of 72 interview excerpts revealed four dominant socializer groups, namely, family, peers, university related individuals, and work related individuals, as well as three distinct areas of socializer influence: thinking about specific jobs, job exploration in general, and choosing whether to pursue further education. A closer look showed that while parents, peers, professors, and supervisors were all important to students’ career plans, the type of influence each had tended to differ. In-depth examples of socializer influence and their impact on students’ job related decisions are shared in this paper. The results are insightful for researchers, university and industry stakeholders, and students. 

This paper provides an example of how an NSF-funded project, Professional Engineering Pathways Study [EEC-1360665, 1360956, and 1360958] or PEPS has incorporated a community of practice approach to disseminate the use of evidence-based decisions to design activities that assist engineering students in making career choices. The paper will discuss the elements of a community of practice, how it has been used in PEPS, and how other projects might use this approach to bring about other kinds of change. Key words: Community of practice, educational reform