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Characterising the Australian engineering workforce and engineering graduate occupational outcomes using national census data

Version 2 2024-06-05, 08:12
Version 1 2016-07-18, 21:39
conference contribution
posted on 2024-06-05, 08:12 authored by SR Palmer, Malcolm CampbellMalcolm Campbell
The purpose of undergraduate engineering education is to develop graduates who are capable of commencing professional engineering practice. Professional education should equip graduates with the skills, knowledge and attitudes required for their initial professional practice. It should also enable the capacity to continue the professional development required to refresh knowledge and skills as the graduates mature and the nature of professional engineering work develops. However, it is true that many graduates from professional engineering programs, either immediately or at some later time, pursue a career outside of professional engineering. The reasons for this are widely speculated upon, and are no doubt complex. In this regard, the professional engineering workforce, the undergraduate engineering education system, the links between them, and the occupational outcomes for engineering graduates in Australia are similar to many other developed nations. Using the latest Australian national census data we present a detailed analysis of the makeup of the professional engineering workforce and the occupational outcomes for graduates of undergraduate engineering programs in Australia. The data show that the Australian professional engineering workforce is comprised of people with a wide range of educational qualifications, and, even immediately post-graduation, many Australian engineering graduates pursue non-engineering occupations. This analysis presents important findings for those designing undergraduate engineering curricula that seek to equip students for the best employment outcomes, given the nature of the professional engineering work environment, and the short- and long-term occupations that engineering graduates actually pursue in Australia.

History

Pagination

69-76

Location

Guimarães, Portugal

Start date

2016-07-06

End date

2016-07-08

ISSN

2183-1378

ISBN-13

9789892068299

Language

eng

Publication classification

E Conference publication, E1 Full written paper - refereed

Copyright notice

2016, The Authors

Editor/Contributor(s)

Lima RM, de Graaff E, Alves A, Menezes A, Mesquita D, Dinis-Carvalho J, Bettaieb L, van Hattum-Janssen N, Costa N, Sousa RM, Fernandes S, Villas-Boas V

Title of proceedings

PAEE/ALE 2016 : Proceedings of the 8th International Symposium on Project Approaches in Engineering Education and 14th Active Learning in Engineering Education Combined Conference and Workshop

Event

Project Approaches in Engineering Education and Active Learning in Engineering Education. Combined Conference and Workshop (2016 : Guimarães, Portugal)

Publisher

Project Approaches in Engineering Education Association

Place of publication

Guimarães, Portugal