A importância do estágio na formação profissional dos estudantes de engenharia química: um estudo no contexto organizacional cearense

Abstract

The curricular internship is a crucial stage in the professional training process of students, regardless of their field of study, as it enables the integration of knowledge acquired in the academic environment with the demands of the organizational context. In view of the growth of the industrial sector in the state of Ceará and the increasing demand for professionals who, in addition to technical expertise, also demonstrate behavioral skills, it becomes relevant to understand how the internship experience contributes to the development of essential competencies for professional practice. This study aims to analyze the influence of the curricular internship on the professional training of chemical engineering students, seeking to identify the main skills developed during this experience from the perspective of managers of companies located in Ceará. The research adopted an exploratory and descriptive approach. The exploratory stage was based on documentary analysis and scientific studies related to competency development in the engineering context. In the descriptive stage, an electronic questionnaire was applied to managers of companies in Ceará that host chemical engineering interns. The results indicate that the curricular internship contributes to the development of technical competencies, such as data interpretation and report preparation, performance of laboratory analyses, and mastery of productive processes. Regarding behavioral skills, problem-solving ability, sense of responsibility and autonomy, communication, and teamwork stand out. It is concluded that the internship plays a strategic role in the training of chemical engineers who are better prepared to meet market demands, strengthening employability and professional insertion in the industrial context of Ceará.