A Career-Ready Engineer: The Inextricable Nature of Professional and Technical Skills

The burgeoning microelectronics workforce is in critical need of skilled graduates. Engineering employers continuously lament that desired professional and technical skills are not sufficiently developed in new hires. Ongoing workforce development is necessary to address the given skill gaps. The concepts derived from the ABET process and awareness skills, Engineering Habits of Mind, and experiential learning frameworks were used as the lens through which the researchers probed the professional and technical skills that individuals need to succeed in entry-level engineering positions. This study utilized a qualitative approach utilizing six semi-structured interviews with microelectronics professionals in the Defense Industrial Base who are involved in hiring process interns and/or new hires. Seven professional skills themes were produced from thematic analysis. The results expand previous frameworks for engineering student outcomes, making a new one that is relevant to the present day and applicable to the microelectronics engineering context. Additionally, the results make it clear that higher education practices must recognize that both professional and technical skills need to be honed to make a career-ready graduate. The authors conclude that additional progress is still needed to build the professional skills of students as they complete their academic programs. It is evident that professional skills are inextricably intertwined and cannot be separated from technical skill development for microelectronics engineers. The unique public-private-academic partnership involved in this study provides a workforce development perspective that is useful for both academics and industry professionals.