Industry Perspectives on Engineering Communication Skills for the Green Transition

Effective communication skills are crucial in complex multidisciplinary, multistakeholder engineering projects, where engineers must articulate ideas, negotiate solutions and convey technical information across diverse audiences. However, despite their importance, communication skills are often undervalued in engineering curricula, as students and faculty may view them as peripheral to technical training. Through focus groups and interviews with practicing engineers in Ireland, the study explores communication’s role in professional tasks and stakeholder interactions. The study provides a flowchart outlining each stage of a civil and structural project. This was then used to identify key communication activities which are presented using the who, why and how of various communication tasks. A thematic analysis of the focus groups supplemented by three interviews was undertaken to expose pertinent issues faced by engineers communicating in practice. These include the importance of developing relationships, communications methods and practices, specific communication skills and legal considerations in communication. Participants also discussed cultural influences, the impact of remote working and proposed ways in which communication skills can be taught. These insights have implications for communication training in engineering education and provide valuable guidance for curriculum designers and educators.