AITLife
Volume 4 Number 1
15
>
Engineering Graduates Performing Well in the Workplace also reported that institute of technology and university graduates perform similarly in terms of meeting their employers’ expectations. Employers reported that Level 8 engineering graduates of all institutions need to be better prepared in terms of their non-technical skills, such as communication, as only 64% of respondents found graduates of the Institutes to be prepared in these nontechnical skills.
Austin Hanley, Head of School of Engineering, AIT and Dr Mike Murphy, Director and Dean, College of Engineering and Built Environment, DIT
E
ngineering graduates from institutes of technology are performing well in the workplace according to a study of graduates and employers. The Engineering Graduates: Preparation and Progress report is published by 13 institutes of technology and by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). The study of honours degree engineering graduates from the institutes of technology found that 83% of respondents believe their education prepared them adequately for their first job and their career. More than 4 out of 5 respondents to the employer survey found institute of technology graduates to be either well prepared or prepared in terms of their technical skills or engineering knowledge in their field. The respondents also found the graduates similarly prepared in terms of their
practical engineering and problem solving skills. Approximately 8 out of 10 employer respondents found that institute of technology NFQ Level 8 engineering graduates are progressing at a similar rate in their careers as other graduates. The careers of the majority of institute of technology graduates are progressing well, with 65% of respondents agreeing that their engineering career and associated salary has progressed as they expected since graduating. Almost 8 out of 10 Level 8 graduate respondents believe that they have been given appropriate engineering responsibilities corresponding with their engineering qualifications. Employer respondents are also happy with the progression of institute of technology graduates with more than 9 out of 10 employers noting that these graduates either meet or exceed their employers’ expectations. Respondents
Austin Hanley, Head of the School of Engineering at AIT and chairperson of the steering group said: “The study provides a baseline against which we can benchmark how our graduates are performing. This gives us a national picture of how honours engineering graduates from institutes of technology across the country are progressing in their careers. It also enables us to capture feedback directly from employers.” The study also identifies key engineering skills that were deemed critical by graduate and employer respondents for career success, including critical thinking and analytical skills and certain non-technical skills such as oral and written communication. The number of honours degree (NFQ Level 8) engineering graduates from the institutes of technology has grown significantly since 2000. In 2000, the institutes graduated almost 470 students and this number rose to more than 1,300 by 2008, largely driven by the number of honours bachelor degree programmes offered which has more than tripled from 21 to 67 over that period. www.ait.ie/engineering