Future Of Engineering And Education

Dr G. Ravi Nov 28, 2018

The boom in technical education, such as engineering and the numerous engineering colleges opening up without proper quality checks a few years ago, has now left the country with an excess supply of engineers who are unemployed with many of them unemployable. However, there still lies a huge scope for well trained and skilled engineers. We live in an age where technology has gone beyond imagination as to how it impacts our day-to-day lives.

The progress in simulation techniques, data capture, data reduction and others have made analyses much more refined and precise. Technologies such as 3-D printing, which enables rapid prototyping, has made the building of models much quicker. Industry 4.0, wherein advances in automation and robotics are used, have paved the way for the mass production of customised and differentiated products on the same production line.

Technology which was seen as a facilitator of our work is now core to our daily lives. From the alarm clock that wakes us up to memory mattresses, technology is integral to our survival. This change has created a need for specialisation even in engineering.

Engineering and colleges

An engineer has three primary roles to fulfill at any point in their career. Analysing the need for technology in a certain area, creating a prototype as a solution to the need and finally, replication of the prototype for mass production. Any engineering graduate is supposed to perform any/all of the above tasks at different times during his/her career.

Good institutes now provide facilities on the campus for the realization of ideas, to pursuing brilliant ideas to prototype building and also nurturing and growing entrepreneurship. Topics which enrich student’s capabilities such as data analysis, data crunching and capturing data using IoT, artificial intelligence and machine learning are now part of a UG Programme in many of the reputed Engineering Colleges. Further, mechanisms such as technology-enabled learning, and project-based learning are built into the coursework by these Institutions. Traditional domain skills like EEE, IPE, Mech. must be enriched further through courses such as IoT, Robotics and Automation, Programming techniques which provide a unique edge to graduates so that they are preferred by companies during the hiring process. Institutions have deepened their industry engagements and have introduced ‘Industry-ready’ training and industry driven courses.

Skills over technical knowledge

It is true that a large number of engineers who are in the market are unemployable. This doesn’t mean that engineering education or the future of engineering is dark. Corporates no longer want engineers who only know how to code. They are looking at other skills and other on-the-job experience in the form of internships.

When it comes to skills, the knowledge of IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Python amongst others are considered crucial skills. Companies have become picky, and it is essential that students are able to communicate their technical prowess. Engineering has different branches and can be applied to the various fields. IT companies, the healthcare, hospitality, aerospace, roads, to heavy machinery and many others, engineering plays a vital role.

Students and engineering

The engineering education in India is at the crossroads today. It’s a chance to take the country on the next high growth trajectory by having the right manpower. Students need to ensure they are industry-ready by the end of their programme.

Quality over quantity should be the focus of the system which alone can ensure that all the graduates are gainfully employed.