Preparing Engineering Students for Leadership

Engineering education programs must be redesigned to better prepare students for the demands of a global, technical, societal, and human environment. Currently, employers believe that engineering programs are failing to adequately prepare students with the professional skills necessary to meet industry needs and to achieve career success. Engineering programs need to provide more opportunities for students to develop professional skills like leadership, communication, project management, analysis, and problem-solving. Engineering leadership is not merely technical or managerial; instead, it is the leadership that makes a positive impact in the intersection of technology and society. One approach to achieving this goal of integrating professional skills is a spiral curriculum. Along with developing the skills required by industry, universities must also respond to the increasing need for global engineers by helping students develop their identities as engineering leaders, increasing diversity, and removing barriers that restrict access to a university engineering education.