Table of content
Similarities and differences between the two kinds of literature
The study will focus on the review of two studies that are relevant to the research question and which are related to soft skills social skills and non-technical skills in engineering. The growing level of competition in the market has forced companies to focus on soft skills and nontechnical skills as a strategy to gain competitive advantage. The literature review will analyze critically the two studies and further compare them to identify their point of similarity and differences.
According to Downing (2001, p. 113), engineering world has transformed greatly in various ways with the improvement of technology. The demand in the market has led to the need to change engineering education. It has been argued by the author that the current engineering education has undergone a major transformation from the traditional narrow curriculum science. This education has thus introduced an in-depth industry-driven curriculum to fit the market demand.
Further, the author has argued that the modern day’s employers have been forced to adopt to the changes in the market hence they seek to employ only engineering students that are well equipped with a strong background in communication skills. This is important because engineering students with soft skills are believed to have the desired skills to communicate effectively in the industry with customers and team members. It is thus believed that technical skills alone are not sufficient to define a well-rounded individual hence the need to mold the students by training them in soft skills.
Most of the undergraduate programs that are being offered currently in most engineering schools are not sufficient enough to equip these students with necessary soft skills that will enable them to be competitive in their place of work.The author carried out research focusing on 20 non-technical skills, about seven training methods for postgraduates and about 10-curriculum transformation. The study took place at Southern Illinois University to evaluate engineering students at Carbondale College. Based on the findings from the study it was evident that one of an essential non-technical skills was listened to skills.
Further, the study found out that there was the need to include real world application in the curriculum that the university is offering to mold and equip students with real life skills. Further, from the research undertaken, it was found out that the appropriate method to allow students to learn nontechnical skills was through mentoring. The author went on to suggest for the implementation of transformative changes in engineering education to support and enhance nontechnical skills development. According to Downing (2001, p. 115), soft skills or non-technical factors are taken into consideration in most universities will be able to develop a team of well-rounded skilled students who would fit easily in the currently changing market.
Based on the study carried out by Nair & Patil, (2008, p. 75), it is evident that the majority of engineering students in most universities lack the necessary skills that focus on communication, leadership and even in social ethics. Lack of these vital skills has led to the formation of engineering students who are not competitive since they lack what is demanded by most employees to achieve competitive advantage.
Communication skills play a key role among the engineering students since they would be equipped with skills in problem solving and emotional intelligence. The author stated that soft skills and nontechnical skills would enable engineering students to work well with other people with different backgrounds.
Research has shown that in the modern society, there are high demands for engineering students who are well-equipped with relevant skills that will enable them to work well in a multicultural workplace environment.
Soft skills will thus make students more competent giving them a higher advantage over the rest of students who only have acquired the technical skills. According to Nair & Patil, (2008, p. 75), communication plays a key role in the world of market hence the need for universities to incorporate it into their curriculum.
The paper has focused on the missing links that have been a challenge for employers and engineering students. The author used engineering graduates from Monash to evaluate them on whether they have what it takes to meet the expectations of employers in the industries and market. The author further proposed the need for further research on a working model that would help address various shortfalls of industry expectation.
Similarities and differences between the two kinds of literature
Focusing on the similarity of the two kinds of literature, it is evident that both have stated the need for communication skills, particularly in a multicultural environment. It is argued that communication skills will enable engineering students work as a team and become better problem solvers in various situations. Secondly, the two studies focused on the importance of soft skills to meet the industry expectations that will in the process enabled the company to be competitive.
This means that employers will only employ candidates that are equipped with soft skills since these are considered important elements to the success of the company. Based on the above analysis, the two studies are very similar in that they both highlight the need for educational sectors in engineering to introduce soft skills for the firm to gain competitive advantage.
The two kinds of literature are different in various ways, for instance, in the first literature by Downing, the author carried out research on students at Carbondale College to determine non-technical skills, training methods for postgraduates and curriculum transformation. The study has highlighted the specific areas that are considered critical to address the expectation between the industry and engineering students.
On the other hand, the second literature by Nair has not conducted a field research to support its assertion. The author of the first literature went o suggested the need for the implementation of transformative changes in engineering education so as to support and enhance nontechnical skills development while the author in the second literature has recommended for the need of further research on various models that would help the education sector address various shortfalls of industry expectation.
From the above literature review, it is evident that soft skills and nontechnical skills are the important part of engineering student’s development. This is because soft skills such as communication skills will enable students to become competitive in the market since they are in a position to work in a multicultural analysis al and multinational environment. The demand in the market for engineering student has inclined to the direction of soft skills.
Therefore, it is important that soft skills and nontechnical skills should be introduced in university and college curriculum to develop well-rounded students. Engineering education must therefore undergo a transformation process by introducing desirable changes that will equip students with necessary skills to address industry expectations.
References
Nair, C. S., & Patil, A. (2008). Industry vs universities: Re-engineering graduate skills-A case study. Quality & Standards in Higher Education: Making a Difference, 75.
Downing, C. G. (2001). Essential Non‐Technical Skills for Teaming. Journal of Engineering Education, 90(1), 113-117.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2001.tb00577.x/abstract