How do students in different minority groups experience first-year engineering?

The transition to first-year university engineering studies is not only cognitively challenging, but is also emotionally challenging for many students. For students in minority groups, it may be particularly challenging integrating with a new peer group. However, it is important that they do so both for the social support provided by a peer group, and for the learning support of a study group. At UNSW Canberra, the majority of our engineering students are young, male, Australian-born trainee defence force officers, with three additional distinct minority groups: young women trainee officers, civilian students of both genders, and mature age students of both genders. Short weekly surveys asking students to rate their happiness and anxiety about their studies, and their motivation and sense of isolation, revealed that the experience of each minority group was distinctly different. For example, the women were generally less happy and less motivated than the men and were consistently more tired, but not more isolated. The civilians were happier and less anxious while the mature age students felt more isolated and anxious. Support programmes and teaching practices designed to promote social integration need to be flexible and cater to individual needs, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.