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ERIC Number: EJ1037344
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-2479
EISSN: N/A
Professional Skills Needed by Our Graduates
Woods, Donald R.; Briedis, Daina; Perna, Angelo
Chemical Engineering Education, v47 n2 p81-90 Spr 2013
Accreditation agencies have outlined professional skills that should be possessed by engineering graduates. The question this paper addresses is "What professional skills do our recent graduates actually use and value as being important?" Young engineering professionals, as well as professionals in many different professions, were asked to identify the importance and frequency of use of 23 "professional skills." The results were that the top skills of importance and frequency of use were verbal communication, written communication, time management, problem solving, decision making, teamwork, critical thinking, self-confidence, initiative, building trust, and stress management. Those that were important and used weekly to occasionally in three months were social awareness and management of relationships, self-awareness and management of emotions, leadership, lifelong learning, analysis (classification, series and patterns, and consistency), self-assessment, empathy, creativity, intercultural understanding, research, change management of self and others, and chairing meetings (being a chairperson). For the sample of 33 who graduated with engineering degrees, their results showed little difference from the total group of 104 respondees. Some suggestions are given about what we can do in the classroom to help our students gain these skills.
Chemical Engineering Education, Chemical Engineering Division of ASEE. P.O. Box 142097, Gainesville, FL 32614. Tel: 352-392-0861; Fax: 352-392-0861; e-mail: cee@che.ufl.edu; Web site: http://www.che.ufl.edu/cee
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Tests/Questionnaires; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A