Aligning Academic Preparation of Engineering Ph.D. Programs with the Needs of Industry

作者：Watson Joy^*; Lyons Jed

来源：International Journal of Engineering Education, 2011, 27(6): 1394-1411.

• Ph.D.
• industry
• skills
• survey
• teamwork

Engineering doctoral programs in the United States are frequently designed to prepare graduates to become original researchers and work in academia. However, the majority of engineering Ph.D. graduates are being employed in industry, this leads to the question of how well doctoral programs are preparing students to meet the needs of industry. The purpose of this exploratory study discussed in this paper is to determine the skills and skill levels needed by engineering Ph.D.s working in industry so that effective strategies may be developed to align student preparation with industry needs. A review of a sample of job solicitations was performed to create a list of possible skills that are essential for engineering Ph.D.s working in industry. A survey was administered to a sample of Ph.D.s in industry to understand the level of different skills needed in their organization and the amount of preparation they received as doctoral students. Survey results indicated that learning and working independently, working in teams, written and oral communication, and solving problems are the most important skills for Ph.D. engineers in industry. Marketing products/processes, managing others, identifying customer needs and writing peer reviewed papers are some of the least important skills for entry-level engineering Ph.D.s. The essential skills for industry and the level of doctoral preparation are, in general, well aligned. Results suggest that one of the most significant areas for improvement in preparing doctoral students is related to teamwork.

• 出版日期2011