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Essential Skills of Namibian Engineers

This presentation at the 24th SAAIR Conference on October 24th, 2017 discusses the essential skills required by Namibian engineers. It explores the importance of studying skills, different skill groupings, and the results of research questions regarding essential skills preferred by employers. The presentation concludes with suggestions for further study.

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Essential Skills of Namibian Engineers

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  1. Title Slide Essential Skills of Namibian Engineers 24th SAAIR Conference Presentation on the 24th October 2017 Mr Evert J. Strydom estrydom@nust.na Dr Samuel John sjohn@nust.na

  2. Namibian Engineers START END Why Study “Skills”? Conclusion Research Questions What are “Skills”? Discussion Which “Skills”? Results RQ #1 RQ #2 RQ #3 Methodology Skills Groupings?

  3. Why Study Skills Why Study “Skills”? • “…widening separation of faculty and curriculum from industry needs and expectations…” Lang et al. (1999) • “…employers have maintained that their greatest needs are basic employability skills…” Person (2003) • “…64 percent of employers hiring fresh engineering graduates are dissatisfied…” Blom & Saeki (2011) • “…the number of employable engineering, technology and science graduates continues to be very low…” Choudary (2014)

  4. What are Skills What are “Skills”? “The ability to do something well” Expertise, competency, capability, talent… The Oxford Dictionary

  5. What are Skills What are “Skills”? “An ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic, and sustained effort to smoothly and adaptively carry out complex activities or job functions involving ideas (cognitive/personal skills), things (technical skills), and/or people (interpersonal skills).” The Business Dictionary

  6. What are Skill Groups What are Skills Groupings? Professional Skills (Soft Skills) Technical Skills (Hard Skills) • Interpersonal Ability • People Skills • Communication Skills • Personal Ability • Intellectual Ability • Personal Skill

  7. Which Skills? Which “Skills”? Accountability, Analytical Thinking, Application of Technical Knowledge, Attention to Detail, Autonomy, Basic Computer Skills, Basic Financial Skills, Business Skills, Conceptual Thinking, Continuous Improvement, Critical Thinking, Customer Orientated, Decision Management, Engineering Design, Entrepreneurship, Flexibility, Information Management, Information Technology Innovative, Integrity, Leadership Skills, Life Long Learning, Logical Thinking, Mathematical Skill, Organisational Skill, Positive Attitude, Practical Skills, Problem Solving, Production Management, Professionalism, Project Management, Punctual, Quality Awareness, Resourceful, Responsible, Self Confidence, Self Discipline, Self Motivated Service Orientated, Statistics and Probability, Systems Analysis, Systems Management, Systems Thinking Task Management, Teaching, Teamplayer, Technical Communication, Technical Competence, Technical Expertise, Technical Knowledge, Technical Report Writing, Technology Application, Technology Management, Verbal English Communication, Written English Communication

  8. Research Question #1: Which skills are considered by Namibian employers to be essential when hiring graduate engineers?

  9. Research Question #2: Are Soft or Hard Skills preferred by Namibian employers?

  10. Research Question #3: Which skills are critical (universally essential) across all categories of engineering?

  11. How? • Registered Engineers : 1343 (ECN, 2016) • Estimated Unregistered : ± 28% (EPA, 2014) • Estimated Total Engineers : ± 1576 • Surveys Distributed : 341 (21.6 %) • Surveys Received : 134 (39% Response Rate) • Surveys Disqualified : 7 • Surveys Analysed : 127 (90% ±5%)

  12. How? • Industry, Discipline, Age, Degree • List of 55 Skills

  13. Industry Results Profile

  14. Degree Results Profile

  15. Discipline Profile and Results

  16. Experience Profile and Results

  17. Research Question #1: Which skills are considered by Namibian employers to be essential when hiring graduate engineers?

  18. Q1 - Which Skills Are Essential

  19. Q1 - Which Skills Are Essential

  20. Q1 - Which Skills Are Essential

  21. Comparison of Studies on Skills

  22. Q1 - Which Skills Are Essential

  23. Q1 - Which Skills Are Essential

  24. Research Question #2: Are Soft or Hard Skills preferred by Namibian employers?

  25. Q2 – Soft or Hard Skills

  26. Q2 – Soft or Hard Skills

  27. Research Question #3: Which skills are critical (universally essential) across all categories of engineering?

  28. Q3 – Critical Skills

  29. Q3 – Critical Skills

  30. Conclusion Research Questions Application of Results Further Study

  31. Thank You! estrydom@nust.na

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