| dc.description.abstract | This paper evaluates how student-run enterprises, a form of work-based learning, impacts
students’ entire educational journey and overall confidence upon graduation. As schools see
increased time, money, and resources devoted to student-run enterprises it is important to
understand the student’s perspective, how they are impacted by student-run enterprises.
Graduates from four programs at a midwestern technical college, Agronomy Management,
Residential Construction, Cosmetology, and Culinary Management, were surveyed to try and
help determine how students’ educational journey was impacted by participation in a student-run
enterprise and how participating in a student-run enterprise impacted a student’s confidence level
prior to obtaining a job within their industry of study. This study was performed by creating a
survey that 14 students completed within the four programs. Results from the study showed that
student-run enterprises for this group of students was a positive learning experience due to the
hands-on real-life aspect of the experience. Student confidence was slightly positively impacted
by the students participating in this study. Further research should be conducted to understand at
a larger scale how student perceptions of confidence and how student-run enterprises impact
the overall college experience for students. There is enough data to support continuing to
implement and utilize existing student-run enterprises at institutions as they have trended
towards positive in all manners of this research. | en_US |
