Document Type

Report

Disciplines

*training, Social sciences, Interdisciplinary

Publication Details

Henry, R., Morgan, M., Beagon, U., Jani, R., McKennedy, J., Bowe, B. (2024) Priority Skills for Engineers on the Island of Ireland: Key Stakeholder Perceptions. PROFESS 12 North South Research Project

https://doi.org/10.21427/4st8-dz88

Abstract

Life on a shared island, in particular the island of Ireland (comprising Ireland and Northern Ireland), presents both challenges and opportunities, including for engineers tasked with addressing problems to help solve the SDGs that are indifferent to boundaries. Research demonstrates that (relative to current engineers) the engineer of the future will require a more diverse range of skills to navigate an increasingly complex work environment. Given this context, identification of relevant priority skills would therefore prove useful in focusing engineering educational initiatives.

Building on a European study (Beagon et al, 2022a) which identified at a European level the professional skills (53 competences in six sets) that engineers will need to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this report focuses on contextualising these skills to the island of Ireland. Part of the rationale for the study is a recognition that educators could feel overwhelmed faced with a list of 53 competences; therefore, it seeks to highlight those which are most important.

An online survey of engineering stakeholders (including academics, stakeholders and students) on the island of Ireland was conducted. Subsequent analysis highlighted the most importance competences for engineers on the island of Ireland in the context of helping to solve the SDGs: Problem Solving, Communication, Teamwork, Respect for Others and Critical Thinking. It also revealed resonance between priorities in both jurisdictions (and generally by gender and stakeholder category (employers, students and academics)).

The report seeks to provide useful insights and improved understanding to inform engineering education at a tertiary level. Not only have the survey findings contributed to the design of a cross-border Summer School, they also improve understanding of stakeholder perceptions (amongst survey respondents) on the most important competences for engineers of the future to help solve the SDGs.

This research offers useful insights for the engineering education community by raising awareness of future-orientated thinking around sustainable development, the SDGs and the skills that engineers will require in this regard. Such improved understanding should inform future development in engineering education to equip engineering graduates with an appropriate skill set to contribute solutions to the big global challenges of our day.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21427/4st8-dz88

Funder

HEA, DFHERIS

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

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