Competencies of Engineering Graduates: What are the Employer’s Expectations?

  • Authors

    • Aini Najwa Azmi
    • Yusri Kamin
    • Muhammad Khair Noordin
    2018-05-22
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i2.29.13811
  • Competencies, Engineering, Employer’s Expectations, Skills, Higher Institution, Review
  • Abstract

    Recently, universities keep receiving complaints from the industries regarding the capability of engineering graduates when starting their new job. The complaints were always about the inability of the engineering graduates to adapt in the industry. This is due to minimum exposure of industrial training period given by university to them. As a result, most of fresh engineering graduates do not have enough industry experience that is demanded by industry. Worse case, there is mismatching skill during industrial training which not relevance to what they are studied before. This problem contributes to unemployment issue among engineering fresh graduates. The purpose of this paper is to review and analyse about the engineering competencies from all over the world. The paper is written on extensive secondary data analysis. It is revealed that the criteria needed by employers from most developed countries are almost similar. Based on summary, technical and non-technical skills are both important to become a competent engineer. There are some recommendations to develop and improve both technical and non-technical skills that can be emphasized by authorities of higher education especially in Malaysia.

     

     

  • References

    1. [1] Raj V, Hardik P, Puranik PS, Acharya GD. Engineering Graduates Competence and Employability. 2015;1(January):2-3.

      [2] Hanapi Z, Nordin MS, Khamis A. Challenges Faced by Engineering Lecturers in Integrating Technical and Employability Skills in the Curriculum: A Case Study in Community College, Malaysia. International Journal of Social Science and Humanity. 2015;5(5):483-6.

      [3] Hanapi Z, Safarin M, Che R. Unemployment Problem among Graduates of Technical Field : Competencies of the Graduates and Quality of the Education. Sains Humanika. 2015;2(2014):53-7.

      [4] Nuwagaba A. Toward Addressing Skills Development and Employment Crisis in Uganda: The Role of Public Private Partnerships. Eastern Africa Social Science Research Review. 2012;28(1):91-116.

      [5] Ismail MH. Kajian Mengenai Kebolehpasaran Siswazah di Malaysia : Tinjauan dari Perspektif Majikan Study on Employability of Graduates in Malaysia : A Survey of Employer Perspectives. Prosiding PERKEM VII. 2012;2(2012):906-13.

      [6] Finch D, Hamilton L, Baldwin R, Zehner M. An Exploratory Study of Factors Affecting Undergraduate Employability. Education + Training. 2013;55(7):681-704.

      [7] Muhammad Khair N, et al. Framework for Project-Based Learning ( PjBL ) in Providing Real World Experience for Electrical Engineering Students Framework for Project-Based Learning ( PjBL ) in Providing Real World Experience for Electrical Engineering Students. Applied Mathematic and Information Sciences. 2016(August).

      [8] Brunhaver, Samantha R, Korte RF, Barley SR, Sheri D, Freeman R, et al. Bridging the Gaps Between Engineering Education and Practice. Engineering in a Global Economy University of Chicago Press. 2016.

      [9] Mahmud MI, Ahmad J, Marzuki W, Ahmad W. Modul Kesediaan Kerjaya Berdasarkan Teori Cognitive Processing (CIP). 2016(3):59-75.

      [10] Hanafi SB. Kesediaan Pelajar dari Aspek Kemahiran Teknikal Terhadap Pembentukan Kebolehkerjaan di Kolej Vokasional Wilayah Selatan. 2015.

      [11] Zaini U. Memperkasakan Pengajian Tinggi ( The Elevation of Higher Education)2009. Penerbit Universiti Teknologi Malaysia-Penerbit Universiti Teknologi Malaysia p.

      [12] Ahmad Rizal M, Malyia Afzan AA, Abdul Rasid AR, Mohamad Zaid M, Yahya B. KEMAHIRAN EMPLOYABILITY BAGI MEMENUHI KEPERLUAN INDUSTRI Ahmad Rizal Madar , Malyia Afzan Abd Aziz , Abdul Rasid Abd . Razzaq. Prosiding SKIKS 08. 2008:385-92.

      [13] Malaysia Education Blueprint M. Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013 - 2025. Education. 2013;27(1):1-268.

      [14] Carnevale BAP. 21st Century Competencies for College and Career Readiness. 2013:5-9.

      [15] Winters KE, Matusovich HM. Career Goals and Actions of Early Career Engineering Graduates. International Journal of Engineering Education. 2015;31(5):1226-38.

      [16] Gilmartin SK, Antonio AL, Brunhaver SR, Helen L, Sheppard SD, Freeman R, et al. Chapter 2: Career Plans of Undergraduate Engineering Students: Characteristics and Contexts. U S Engineering in the Global Economy. 2015:1-69.

      [17] Zaharim A, Yusoff Y, Omar MZ, Mohamed A. Perceptions and Expectation Toward Engineering Graduates by Employers : A Malaysian Study Case. WSEAS TRANSACTION on Advances in Engineering Education. 2009;6(9):296-305.

      [18] Ginters E. Engineering Education Development Modelling in STELLA Environment. 2008;5(8):549-59.

      [19] Zaharim A, Yusoff YM, Omar MZ, Basri H. Employability Skills Framework for Engineering Graduate in Malaysia. 8th WSEAS International Conference on Education and Educational Technology. 2010:264-72.

      [20] Sattar Rasul M, Yusof Ismail M, Ismail N, Rashid Rajuddin M, Amnah Abd Rauf R. Importance of Employability Skills as Perceived by Employers of Malaysian Manufacturing Industry. Journal of Applied Sciences Research. 2009;5(12):2059-66.

      [21] Husain MY, Rasul MS, Mustapha R, Malik SA, Amnah R, Rauf A. Jurnal Teknologi Full paper Tahap Kemahiran Employability Pelajar Kejuruteraan dari Perspektif. 2013;1:31-9.

      [22] Labor USDo. Engineering Competency Model. Employment and Training Administration, USDL. 2015(May):1-37.

      [23] Sattar MR, Ruhizan MY, Ahmad AA, Mamat MR, Iskandar H, Yatim M. Instructors' Perception on the Implementation of Work-Based Learning Program in Automotive Industry. Journal of Asian Vocational Education and Training. 2014;7(2013):22-31.

      [24] Noordin MK. Project-Based Learning (PjBL) for non-Technical Skills 2014.

      [25] Yasin RM, Mustapha R, Zaharim A. Promoting creativity through problem oriented project based learning in engineering education at Malaysian polytechnics: Issues and challenges. Proceedings of the 8th WSEAS International Conference on Education and Educational Technology, EDU '09. 2009:253-8.

      [26] Geisler E, Rubenstein aH, Link a, Tassey G. University-industry relations- a review of major issues. 1989:43-61.

      [27] Ishengoma E, Vaaland TI. Can university-industry linkages stimulate student employability? Education + Training. 2016;58(1):18-44.

      [28] Vaaland TI, Ishengoma E. University-industry linkages in developing countries: perceived effect on innovation. Education + Training. 2016;58(9):1014-40.

      [29] Zeti Norhaiza Abdul R. a Study on Challenges for Commercialisation of Research Innovation in the Public Research University in Malaysia: Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka; 2015.

  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Najwa Azmi, A., Kamin, Y., & Khair Noordin, M. (2018). Competencies of Engineering Graduates: What are the Employer’s Expectations?. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 7(2.29), 519-523. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i2.29.13811

    Received date: 2018-06-07

    Accepted date: 2018-06-07

    Published date: 2018-05-22