The Case for Leadership Skills Courses in the Engineering Curriculum

Leadership courses are often encouraged, but not mandatory for an undergraduate engineering degree. The research presented here focuses on implementing specific undergraduate leadership courses as part of an American Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited program at a Midwestern University. The purpose of this study is to identify what professional skills engineering companies expect students to develop through coursework before they can graduate from a large Midwestern university. The hypothesis of the project was: Engineering employers surveyed will validate the importance of each of the introductory leadership course goals as it relates to what they are seeking in potential hires. The research question of the project was: How important are formal leadership education coursework and opportunities in college to the engineering workforce? The web-based survey was sent to over 200 engineering employers that recruit at the Midwestern University with 53 responses equating 26.5% response. The survey administered to employers in this project was created by faculty from the Electrical Engineering and Leadership Education departments and the author, a graduate student in the Leadership Education program, who incorporated the following tools: o A United Kingdom (UK) survey facilitated in 2005. o Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation Criterion 3 guidelines. o The Introductory Leadership Course objectives in the syllabus provided to students. The survey responses indicated that not only is the development of professional leadership skills by engineering students appreciated, it is required if they are to meet the demands of the engineering workforce. Many employers responding to the survey defined these skill sets as fundamental for future engineers. Background The global market for engineering graduates is becoming increasingly competitive. The study, “Educating Engineers for the 21 st Century: The Industrial View” which surveyed more than 400 engineering companies located in the United Kingdom reveals a pressing need to overhaul undergraduate engineering education. “Engineering courses need to be better aligned with industry needs, which can be achieved in part by industry becoming more involved with engineering education. The Academy calls for closer collaboration between schools, universities and industry to counteract the perceived skills deficiency in graduate engineers.” (Spinks, Silburn & Birchall, 2006). One remedy for this challenge is a diversified engineering curriculum