Abstract:

Purpose
Curriculum in Interior Design higher education is specifically developed to prepare students for a successful career in the Interior Design profession. During the final year of design programs, students explore professional practices, research potential firms and specialties, and generally plan for their transition to the work force. Evidence from other disciplines indicates that this transition to the professional environment has the potential to overwhelm students (Perrone,L & Vickers, M 2003).

In addition to this generalized anxiety, Millennial generation students have been identified as having very specific characteristics that include their reliance on and mastery of technology (Raines, 2003; Howe and Strauss, 2003). These generational characteristics are influencing the transition-to-work in every field, including the Interior Design profession.

Method
The objective of this project was to conduct a preliminary inquiry of the role of design internships on the transition-to-work process within the framework of the characteristics of the millennial generation. The inquiry included three specific components: 1) Analyze existing survey data detailing employers experience with ID interns as collected for one Southern United States university; 2) Conduct a literature review of the three bodies of knowledge - design internships, the transition-to-work phenomena, and millennial characteristics; and 3) Develop an agenda for further study to include creation of tools to enable quality data collection about the internship as a profound experience shaping the transition-to-work process of a professional Interior Designer.

Summary
Findings of this study will broaden Interior Design educators understanding of millennial generation students, and the role of internships as they relate to the student’s ability to successfully transition to the profession of Interior Design. This research builds on previous work on millennial generation design student cohort characteristics and begins to explore them within the framework of the transition-to-work phenomena – the final step in the design education process.

References
Caprisello, L. (2006). Preparing Students to Enter the Interior Design Profession: Results of an Employer Survey. Paper presented at the National Conference of the Interior Design Educators Council, Scottsdale, AZ.
Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2003). Millennials go to college. Washington, DC: American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and LifeCourse Associates.
Perrone, L., & Vickers, M., H. (2003). Life after graduation as a "very uncomfortable world": an Australian case study. Education + Training, 45(2), 69.
Raines, C. (2003). Connecting Generations. Menlo Park: Crisp Publications.

Keywords:

Design Education, Professional practice, transition-to-work.