The world is changing faster than we could have imagined. Technologists and entrepreneurs are at the forefront of this change. The new technology has not only imposed a change in the behavior of the consumer who consumes this technology, but also of the producers who are developing these technologies. There is an urgent need for a new generation of technologists who can change and adapt to this fast-moving world. Engineering college graduates around the world can no longer take on the security of engineering jobs following previous trends. They need to change with the changing times and they need to do it fast.
Based on various reports and research conducted, we know that more than 80% of graduates who leave our engineering schools are not fit for engineering jobs. Talking to employers reveals several shortcomings among students, the most prominent being: – Lack of basic technical knowledge, lack of practical exposure, inability to communicate effectively, and lack of practical aptitude. Although this problem has existed for more than 10 years, the country’s education system has failed to address the problem and it has now become a cancer. The last 10 years have seen exponential growth in the number of engineering colleges and thus the number of engineering graduates coming out of these institutes, which is good considering the demand for engineering jobs has increased. . What’s not right here is the degradation of quality among these engineering graduates. Even the best engineering colleges in the country employ professors who have never worked in an organization. They themselves do not have the hands-on exposure to the technology they are teaching. It would be childish to expect the output of such universities to be of superior quality.
Another major factor of concern for our young graduates is the advent of cutting-edge technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. These technologies promise businesses to reduce their need to hire staff, as most tasks performed by individuals can now be automated using older technologies. According to reports, 70% of existing engineering jobs will disappear in the next 5 years. New jobs will take over the market as, for example, the demand for data scientists has increased by 400% in the last year alone and this trend is expected to continue. Machine learning graduates, game developers, and user experience designers represent some of the booming sectors when it comes to engineering job creation. So the real problem is not that we don’t have enough jobs in the market, but that we don’t have enough candidates to fit the new type of jobs that are being created in the market. Even our best engineering colleges have failed to tackle this problem effectively.
The problem of the lack of employable young graduates is huge and therefore would need a multi-pronged solution. It should start with raising awareness among parents and students that they need to understand that having a B.Tech degree does not provide a 100% guarantee of employment. The engineering college they are joining will not be enough for them to employ even if it is one of the best engineering colleges. It’s about time parents and students start asking engineering schools the right questions, like what is their “Return on Investment” from college, if they provide a 100% job guarantee after graduation? college, what kind of jobs will be offered to them, is there a major that comes with the B Tech degree, etc. Educational institutions and businesses need to be held accountable not only in terms of the number of engineering jobs their graduates get, but also regarding the quality of engineering jobs.
The second part of the solution uses the need to merge technologists with educators. We need teachers who are smart and have gotten their hands dirty by diving deep into technology. We need a curriculum that is world class and highly relevant to today’s engineering jobs. Curriculum validated by technologists and taught by experts who have already worked in those domains. A curriculum that makes students tech-savvy and specializes them in a field rather than just having them learn theoretical concepts. Learning must extend beyond the classroom of engineering schools to delve into the world of how business works. Students need to visit many companies, talk to many CEOs and hiring managers, and understand for themselves what these people are looking for in the candidates they hire and how they can prepare for that. Students must complete relevant projects in sync with the engineering job market. They should not only focus on technology, but also general development that helps them develop softer skills like communication and analytical skills. Finally, a program that takes responsibility and provides premium status to students which in turn will reflect its commitment to providing the highest quality education.
Education should allow students to reach for the stars, ask questions, and guide them in the right direction. Until our education system and engineering schools respond to this call for change, we are looking at a very bleak future for our next generation.