Project Details
Project PI: Dr. Logan Perry
Project Co-PI: Dr. Jessica Deters
Amount and Years: $399,551, 2026 - 2029
Funding: National Science Foundation Award #253348
Abstract:
The rapid evolution of engineering – driven by AI, aging infrastructure, and national security needs – demands engineering graduates that are prepared for the shifting landscape of today’s industry. Despite this critical need, there is no clear consensus on what is means to be “prepared” for modern engineering work. While national reports dating back to 1918 argue that graduates lack essential skills, recent studies suggest many graduates feel prepared for work. Despite these contradictions, no study has yet explored workplace preparedness from the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including industry, faculty, and new engineers themselves. As a result, the question persists – are engineering graduates prepared to tackle the challenges of today’s shifting engineering landscape? If the United States is to remain competitive on a global scale and effectively serve its people, the answer to this question must be a resounding “yes.” Reaching this point must begin with a clearer understanding of what preparedness means for today’s engineers. To meet this need, the purpose of this project is to explore how “preparedness” is defined by key stakeholders – industry practitioners, faculty, and new engineers – by comparing their perspectives and uncovering nuances in their conceptualizations. Ultimately, these insights will support the development of more targeted and effective strategies to equip all engineering graduates with the skills, knowledge, and mindsets necessary to thrive in an evolving professional landscape. This project will strengthen the U.S. workforce by enhancing the readiness of engineering graduates. This project is well-aligned with the NSF Research in the Formation of Engineers program in that it focuses on transitions between education levels and addresses lifelong learning by the engineering workforce.
Informed by Role Theory and recent conceptualizations of preparedness, this project will answer the following research questions: What constitutes a "prepared" new engineer, from the perspective of industry, faculty, and new engineers? How do stakeholders' roles influence their perspectives of preparedness? How do new engineers' perceptions of their preparedness change over the first two years of work? To answer these questions, the research team will employ a three-phase multiple-methods study focused on the civil and mechanical engineering disciplines comprising a longitudinal qualitative investigation of new engineers’ perceptions to capture how their perceptions evolve over the first two years of work, a cross-sectional qualitative investigation of industry practitioners and faculty perceptions through interviews to capture how their perspectives vary from students and each other, and a nationwide survey of all stakeholders to broaden and generalize findings from the first two phases. Findings from this research will address a critical gap in the literature by advancing theory by bringing coherence to what is meant by “preparedness” for work. The outcomes of this project will provide a clear understanding of how preparedness is conceptualized across different stakeholder groups, highlighting areas of alignment and divergence. By identifying gaps between educational and industry expectations, this study will inform curriculum development, enhance engineering education practices, and bridge the disconnect between academia and industry. Insights will be translated through broader impacts activities to students, faculty, and engineering industry professionals through the development of student-facing, faculty-facing, and industry-facing resources that define the kinds of workplace readiness that employer’s look for and that new engineers say they have.