Resumen de Aligning academic preparation of engineering Ph.D. Programs with the needs of industry
Engineering doctoral programs in the United States are frequently designed to prepare graduates to become original researchersand work in academia. However, the majority of engineering Ph.D. graduates are being employed in industry, this leads to thequestion of how well doctoral programs are preparing students to meet the needs of industry. The purpose of this exploratorystudy discussed in this paper is to determine the skills and skill levels needed by engineering Ph.D.s working in industry so thateffective strategies may be developed to align student preparation with industry needs. A review of a sample of job solicitations wasperformed to create a list of possible skills that are essential for engineering Ph.D.s working in industry. A survey was administeredto a sample of Ph.D.s in industry to understand the level of different skills needed in their organization and the amount ofpreparation they received as doctoral students. Survey results indicated that learning and working independently, working in teams,written and oral communication, and solving problems are the most important skills for Ph.D. engineers in industry. Marketingproducts/processes, managing others, identifying customer needs and writing peer reviewed papers are some of the least importantskills for entry-level engineering Ph.D.s. The essential skills for industry and the level of doctoral preparation are, in general, wellaligned. Results suggest that one of the most significant areas for improvement in preparing doctoral students is related toteamwork.
