Engineering Graduates' Skill Sets in the MENA Region: A Gap Analysis of Industry Expectations and Satisfaction

Autor/inn/en	Ramadi, Eric; Ramadi, Serge; Nasr, Karim
Titel	Engineering Graduates' Skill Sets in the MENA Region: A Gap Analysis of Industry Expectations and Satisfaction
Quelle	In: European Journal of Engineering Education, 41 (2016) 1, S.34-52 (19 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0304-3797
DOI	10.1080/03043797.2015.1012707
Schlagwörter	Engineering Education; Graduates; Communication Skills; Time Management; Administrator Attitudes; Industry; Factor Analysis; Job Skills; Employer Attitudes; Education Work Relationship; Educational Change; Employment Potential; Curriculum Development; Foreign Countries; Validity; Questionnaires; Likert Scales; Statistical Analysis; Africa + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ingenieurausbildung; Graduate; Absolvent; Absolventin; Hochschulabsolvent; Hochschulabsolventin; Kommunikationsstil; Zeitmanagement; Industrie; Faktorenanalyse; Produktive Fertigkeit; Arbeitgeberinteresse; Bildungsreform; Arbeitsmarktbezogene Qualifikation; Beschäftigungsfähigkeit; Curriculum; Development; Curriculumentwicklung; Lehrplan; Entwicklung; Ausland; Gültigkeit; Fragebogen; Likert-Skala; Statistische Analyse; Afrika
Abstract	This study explored gaps between industry expectations and perceptions of engineering graduates' skill sets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study measured the importance that managers of engineers placed on 36 skills relevant to engineers. Also measured was managers' satisfaction with engineering graduates' skill sets. Importance and satisfaction were used to calculate skill gaps for each skill. A principal components analysis was then performed, consolidating the 36 skills into 8 categories. The means of importance, satisfaction, and skill gaps were ranked to determine the areas in which graduates needed improvement. Results showed significant gaps between managers' expectations of and satisfaction with all 36 skills. The areas in which managers felt that graduates needed most improvement were communication, time management, and continuous learning. Managers reported that recent engineering graduates exhibited low overall preparedness for employment. These findings may help to inform curricular reform in engineering education. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01