Engineering graduates’ skill sets in the MENA region: a gap analysis of industry expectations and satisfaction

Abstract

This study explored gaps between industry expectations and perceptions of engineering graduates’ skill sets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study measured the importance that managers of engineers placed on 36 skills relevant to engineers. Also measured was managers’ satisfaction with engineering graduates’ skill sets. Importance and satisfaction were used to calculate skill gaps for each skill. A principal components analysis was then performed, consolidating the 36 skills into 8 categories. The means of importance, satisfaction, and skill gaps were ranked to determine the areas in which graduates needed improvement. Results showed significant gaps between managers’ expectations of and satisfaction with all 36 skills. The areas in which managers felt that graduates needed most improvement were communication, time management, and continuous learning. Managers reported that recent engineering graduates exhibited low overall preparedness for employment. These findings may help to inform curricular reform in engineering education.

Keywords:

• engineering education
• employment potential
• job skills
• curriculum development
• employer attitudes

About the authors

Eric Ramadi received an MBA (2013) from the University of Balamand, where the focus of his research was placed on the skill sets of engineering graduates in the Middle East and North Africa. He holds an H.B.Sc. (2010) from the University of Toronto.

Serge Ramadi graduated from the University of Balamand in 2013 with an MBA. His graduate research focused on the state of engineering graduates’ skill sets in the Middle East and North Africa. He also holds an H.B.Sc. (2010) from the University of Toronto.

Karim Nasr, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management at the University of Balamand holds a Ph.D. (1993) and a MS (1990) from Purdue University and a BS from Oklahoma State University (1987). He has acted as an EC2000 ABET Evaluator for the accreditation of engineering programmes.