Essential Skills required by Engineers for Future Jobs

Getting an engineering degree isn’t easy. It requires a lot of hard work to secure one’s dream university and survive the four years of the Degree.

After getting the Degree, securing a job in the industry is complex. Shockingly, 48% of engineers are jobless in India. 

 

But Why?

• The problem is that there are too many engineers compared to the jobs available in the industry.
• Many Indian Engineering Colleges do not provide exposure to the industry. They don’t get the right opportunities and internships to build their way into the industry. Hands-On experience & Real-time applications is something not seen in most engineering colleges.
• The colleges prioritize theory rather than practical. Thus many engineers are left clueless and don’t possess the necessary skills required.
• Engineering requires thinking and creativity, but the system is rigid and full of orders.
• There is a lack of discipline amongst students. It’s about getting done with it rather than keenly interested in it. Tell an engineering student that the class is canceled, and I bet you will see a joyous face.

 

As discussed above, securing an engineering job isn’t easy. It’s not just about connections and luck but the abilities that an engineer has culminated during his Degree. 

So what skills will help an engineer secure a job in the future?

Along with fieldwork, and past internship experience, these are the skills that help aspiring engineers/engineers in securing their future job

 

Problem Solving

An Engineer is responsible for Problem Solving at their workplace in their field of expertise. The problem can be unexpected or an anticipated one.

To improve problem-solving skills, one needs to acquire more technical knowledge in the field and volunteer for a project or work with another team. Training sessions, workshops, conferences, and additional coursework can enhance professional expertise.

 

Communication Skills

The ability to communicate well is a skill that is required in every field, including engineering. It can help to boost your career. Excellent communication skills lead to high job results and good work performance. Engineers are required to communicate daily with their teammates, superiors, other departments, and subordinates.

To improve one’s communication skills, one needs to listen actively to the other person and give an engaging response to their statements plays an essential role in an engineer’s career. It’s important to maintain eye contact when communicating face to face. It shows interest in the other person’s thoughts. It showcases that you are paying attention and allows you to avoid distraction.

 

People Management

People management is the ability to hire, lead, and develop team members in service of the organization’s overall mission. There’s often a common misconception that you aren’t a “people person” if you’re an engineer. To be able to work with people is a trait of a successful engineer. Teamwork is necessary since most engineering projects and workspaces involve collaboration with others. Engineers who excel at managing people can take on leadership roles, oversee projects or companies, and keep all employees working together. The fact that engineers are excellent collaborators means that engineers will be the ideal choice to lead the future workforce when combined with their technical knowledge.

To possess People Management Skills, first, it’s essential to gain Emotional Intelligence Skills.

 

Emotional intelligence Skills

It is the ability to identify and oversee personal feelings and others. It allows engineers to have the edge over those who do not possess this skill. High emotional intelligence bolsters an engineer’s interpersonal communications, professional relationships, and self-motivation capacity. If they do not own this skill, it interferes with their ability to make crucial decisions.

Being Self-Aware allows for the development of this skill. One can start by taking the time to think about one’s reactions to the events. One can learn to manage emotions and can work during stressful moments. An essential factor in developing emotional intelligence is empathy. One way to do so is by imagining yourself in others’ shoes.

 

Creativity

Creativity is the ability to produce, make, or invent something new rather than imitating what already exists. It helps with dream-up innovations and solutions to all many issues. It’s about thinking out of the box and coming up with something fresh. Employees value Employees who think out of the box as they offer solutions to various organizational problems. 

Research and sufficient knowledge about the field allow a person to think creatively. It’s OK to look up to someone for inspiration and pay good attention to one’s environment.

 

Adapting and Innovating in Creative New Ways

So what makes creativity such an important skill is that things will change along with technology. The thing that will help distinguish between Artificial Intelligence and engineers is their creativity. Machines may take over the technical drawings and number crunching, the data analysis, and the tedious, repetitive tasks, but what they aren’t capable of is thinking out of the box.

The new industrial revolution will allow a ton of new technology, new ways of working, and new products so that creativity will become a different factor.

“The most important skill is a meta-skill: the ability to adapt to changes,” stated Carlton Pu, professor, and junior chair in software at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

The skills mentioned above are essential to strengthen one’s engineering career or grab a job in the future. If one already possesses the skills, polish them up and progress further.