Summary from group discussion around employer interviews

Advisory Board Meeting October 30, 2008

Summary from group discussion around employer interviews

This is the summary from the group discussions around the three results-themes presented during the meeting. First you will find the results section as presented at the meeting and then the summary of the group discussions.

Theme I: Current Engineering Practices

Results     

  • Communication skills.
  • Ability to organize and present data
  • Team work
  • Critical thinking
  • Innovative thinking
  •  Problem solving; (both conceptual and operational)
  • Ability to learn/adapt/multitask
  • Ability to move between abstractions in software and physical systems
    • Understanding of principles, application and limitations of computational tools
  • Need basic computational skills
  • Using technology to collaborate across/outside organization
  • Using tech to support broad problem solving and decision making
  • Familiarity with multiple software systems
  • Understanding of business practice

Discussion Summary

Amplified Existing Themes

  • Need to understand connections
  • Need to understand business practices and environment and how to communicate
  • Understanding the effects of physical system-data-analysis-business (bottom line); also understand the dissemination of this to the appropriate units
  • Understanding social/environmental concepts - context of application in addition to business context (other social environmental consequences other than bottom line)
  • Teamwork encompasses more levels, methods of collaboration (e.g., electronic), interdisciplinary/inter-professional, external interactions (e.g., difficult people)
  • Being able to interpret multiple data sets maybe using different software systems then communicate that; ability to take computational results and relate it to an order of magnitude
  • Ability to challenge data (not take it at face value); understand source data - check

Gaps in Existing Themes

  • Need to understand engineering life cycle process ("cradle to grave") along with the management of it, strategy behind it, and costs associated with implementing the process
  • Understand IT at a level to see its limitations
  • Strong foundation so you can move from one specific application to another
  • Business and engineering principles
  • Using web search engines
  • Project management skills

Top Three Themes

  • Innovative thinking/problem solving/critical thinking/impact analysis
  • Communication
  • Collaboration/Teamwork
  • Understand business practices (and environment)
  • Ability to learn (i.e., ability to learn, adapt, go)
  • Taking/using information from multiple data sources
  • Technology to collaborate across disciplines and across/outside an organization
  • Ability to move between abstractions in software and physical systems 

Theme II: Computational Aspects

Results

  • Multiple CAD programs including 3D modeling
  • Process simulation packages (from design to manufacturing)
  • Numeric computational platforms e.g. MATLAB, MATHCAD, Mathematica, MAPLE, PolyMath
  • Software collaboration tools
  • Project management software
  • Excel (high level capabilities)
  • MS Office
  • Knowledge of some programming (e.g. Visual Basic)
  • Familiarity with multiple software systems

Discussion Summary

Amplified Existing Themes

  • Emphasis on: ability to use, apply, and manipulate the computational tools/software to the right situation; ability to make a value  judgment on choosing the right application(s) for the right situation(s) - i.e., align needs with software capabilities
  • Blind faith in computer tools (link to generational differences)

Gaps in Existing Themes

  • Web searching(facile at using web search engines and able judge quality of information found)
  • Other tools (and awareness of them)  -- industry specific/disciplinary
  • Design and process simulation
  • Open source
  • MRP/ERP (like SAP)  - Product Life Cycle
  • Real time data processing for managing operations in real time and predictive modeling
  • Finite element analysis
  • Business management software - link engineering software to business management
  • Collaboration tools  (e.g., Internet, white boarding, webinars)
  • Statistical packages

Top Three Themes

  • Simulation and Modeling (Process & Product, 3-D etc)
  • Modeling seems to go across disciplines
  • CAD/CAM/PLM
  • Excel/Open Source (for intermediate problem solving)
  • Tools for collaboration (data & people meetings)
  • Office productivity tools  (e.g., Microsoft Office, e-mail, Internet, collaboration software)
  • Task relationships/project management tools
  • Knowledge of programming

Theme III: Future of Engineering

Results

  • Corporate development, leadership, management skills
  • Increasing integration of engineering data across larger systems (i.e., logistics & ordering)
  • Globalization
  • Design for the Environment (DFE)
  • High computational level (programming to an end result)
  • More experience in R & D
  • New applications for existing materials
  • Material development
  • Electronic communication
  • Next generation of technology?
  • Increasing use of simulation to reduce materials usage in design phase 

Discussion Summary

Amplified Existing Themes

  • Separate research (could be more senior) versus development (could be more entry level, e.g., process to develop it) - exposure to research for the undergrad becoming more relevant - link to keeping innovation in the U.S.
    • New engineer will use computational tools to: create new products (that current engineers may not envision) and shorten time to market

Gaps in Existing Themes

  • Way to measure computer aptitude (develop some type of aptitude score coming out of college like a "CPACE Score") and performance factors
  • Personalization of products/services
  • High computational level - linking/moving data across applications
  • On-Demand, function-based - virtual supply chain
  • Data mining for analysis and new opportunity identification

Top Three Themes

  • Design for environment (sustainability) - BIG issue and need for understanding it
    • Higher integration of bio systems and engineering (e.g., biological/living systems versus static; neuro-networks)
  • R & D
    • US wants to hold onto innovation, research, and development - using modeling to reduce time to market
  • Globalization
    • Related to outsourcing/off-shoring (design, manufacturing more transportable)
  • Corporate and personal development
  • Computational high end
  • Increasing integration of engineering data across larger systems
  • Changes in Engineering Positions
  • More technology will be in place that individuals will need to be facile in learning, using and applying.
  • Skilled in integrative thinking - broad process thinking - life cycle thinking will only continue to increase
  • More focus on systems solutions
  • Virtual project management skills
  • Quality engineering skills  re-emerging
  • Adaptability skills - hard to see what's coming 
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