Individual differences, early work challenge, and participation in continuing education

Abstract

Relationships of individual differences and early work challenge to participation of engineers in continuing education were investigated in a 14-yr longitudinal study. 110 newly hired engineers completed a battery of cognitive and interest tests. Engineers and managers rated work challenge 2 yrs later. Number of graduate and in-house courses completed was ascertained from company records. Results show that cognitive tests and work challenge correlated positively with graduate course participation but negatively with in-house courses completed early in the career. Enjoyment of challenging work was related to lower early in-house participation. Graduate work was positively related to interest in ideas for those strong in engineering ability. Later in the career, in-house participation was positively related to interest in things and negatively related to interest in people. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)