#5 Ways How Engineering Can Make a Comeback with Innovation Engineering institutions should focus on encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship by adding it to the curriculum
By Silky Jain
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According to traditional wisdom, engineering degree guarantees a stable and well-paying office job. However, according to a survey, only 7 per cent of graduating engineers can handle core engineering tasks. As per the HRD ministry, India has 6,214 engineering and technology institutions which are enrolling 2.9 million students and approx. only 1.5 million engineers are released into the job market every year. They simply do not have the adequate skills to be employed.
Today, most comforts that we enjoy today are the result of true engineering feats and inventions. The field is vast and its applications varied: from the internet to transport system, from sophisticated heavy industries to daily tools, from medical instruments to basic R&D across the world. The world needs skilled engineers who are better prepared to solve complex problems in an interdisciplinary manner. Today, there is a severe need to improve the quality of engineering education in India and equip future engineers to overcome the challenges in the new millennium, revive its lost glory, progressively build future innovators of tomorrow. Here are 5 ways through which engineering can bridge the existing gap between industry requirement and academic proficiency to produce a well-trained and disciplined workforce in sync with the ever-changing demand of corporate world:
Leverage technology
The advent of digital technologies and the proliferation of the internet have paved the way for modern teaching and learning methods. Technology must be infused in the infrastructure of engineering colleges to transform learning, especially with the help of highly qualified teachers. State-of-the-art infrastructure ensures standards of excellence and supreme quality for the students with facilities supported by well-equipped laboratories, modern computer centre, digital workstations and more, to assure that students stay ahead.
Experienced faculty
There is a huge need for faculty development both in terms of pedagogical development and engineering domain training. A transformation of the way courses are delivered, the pedagogy that is used and the assessment that is done is thus also required. Teaching and learning need to become more interactive. Teaching tools such as labs, group presentations, discussion groups, debates, role-playing, and reviewing case studies also need to be included in the curriculum to positively improve the quality and relevance of their teaching, learning and research.
Foster stronger industry-institute collaborations
Engineering colleges should aspire to build strong collaboration and partnerships with the industry through joint research projects, and also include arrangements for faculty to take up joint research collaboration, curriculum development and continuous education with industry and other renowned institutions. For this, institutes and industry need to work together and foster partnerships which are deep and profound. Internship for engineering students should also become a routine practice.
Encourage innovation and entrepreneurship
Engineering graduates also need to be innovative and entrepreneurial. They should be capable to contribute to building an innovation-driven eco-system that creates economic prosperity and wealth. Each engineering institution should focus on encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, and develop entrepreneur skills in the curriculum. Institutes should not only aim at building better industry-institute relationships but also encourage and enhance the student's interest towards the entrepreneurship and business strategies, through startup workshops.
Placements
Institutes should focus on finding the right student for the right job. Premium institutes are associated with core companies for on-campus Placements with a mission to achieve 100% placement through hard work and dedication. They devise various programs that aim at enhancing and honing the skills of students to meet industry expectations and build a bright future for themselves.
To conclude, good engineering colleges ensure that every activity academic/non-academic, cultural, corporate and entrepreneurial are carefully designed to help every student find his own individuality in choosing a career and life that will make them an asset to their respective organizations and society as a whole.
