Project Team
- Alon Eisenstein, Assistant Professor of Teaching, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science (Lead Applicant)
- Jannik Eikenaar, Associate Professor of Teaching, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Laura Patterson, Associate Professor of Teaching, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Grant Topor, Professional Development Officer, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Kenneth Chau, Associate Professor, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Graeme Webb, Lecturer, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Richard Aleong, Lecturer, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Natalie Forssman, Lecturer, School of Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science
- Jennifer Eberle, Manager, Engineering Co-op, Applied Science Co-op Program, Faculty of Applied Science
Themes
- Professional Skills and Competencies
Year
2023
About the Project
The project proposes to improve professional competencies for engineering students by embedding professional development curricular interventions across the undergraduate engineering curriculum. This project is innovative in both its entrepreneurial approach to identification and prioritization of the professional competencies, as well as in its holistic approach to embed professional development within the engineering curriculum. Through this project, UBCO engineering students’ learning experiences will be transformed by contextualizing professional competencies into the curriculum, thereby bridging the world of studying with the world of working.
The project will involve a two-phase collaborative process that includes the School of Engineering staff, faculty, current students and alumni, and industry partners.
In the first phase, a team of interviewers will be trained through the customer-development approach. The team will then engage with recently graduated alumni and industry partners who have recently hired engineers to identify gaps in professional competencies and workplace expectations. Through successive interviews and qualitative analyses, specific professional competencies will be identified and prioritized.
In the second phase, the project team will develop curricular interventions for those identified professional competencies that will be embedded in select undergraduate courses in the engineering program. These curricular interventions will be piloted throughout the academic year, then reviewed and revised. Recommendations for changes and improvements will then inform the final iteration of the professional competencies’ curricular interventions.