Continuing professional development (CPD) is important to ensure engineers in the workplace maintain proficiency and remain technically prudent throughout their careers. The development of an engineer’s skills and competencies has also become an important force in the economic growth of the developed world and provides competitive advantages. Although many have argued for increased CPD, relatively little research has been carried out on the most effective ways to teach engineers in the workplace. Somewhat contrastingly, research into ways to educate engineering students at university is a rapidly growing area based on what engineering companies perceive the needs of a 21st century engineer to be based on societal changes. The gap that now exists in the transition from a fostered learning environment as an undergraduate student to a working environment as an engineer needs to be narrowed in order to ensure an easier passage into professional practice.

This comparative review will focus on the different ways reported in literature on how engineers learn and compare this to the way undergraduate students learn at university. The earlier sections will look at the similarities between how engineers and undergraduates learn, as well as the differences and advances in research in the area of pedagogy in engineering at university level. Based on this, the latter sections will analyse how both environments can be developed to improve the transition for students into the workplace with focus on work placements at university and the use of mentors in the workplace.

Authors:
Mauryn Chika Nweke, University College London, United Kingdom

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Mauryn Chika Nweke is an Associate Professor in the department Biochemical Engineering, UCL

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