Mind the gap: bridging the transversal and transferable skills chasm in a public engineering school

Abstract

Transversal and transferable skills are the single most important skill gap identified by employers of engineering graduates. This gap can be a very effective chasm in the early careers of otherwise competent graduates. In this paper we address the end-toend implementation of a transversal and transferable skills training programme in an European public engineering school. The training addresses master and doctoral candidates. The needs assessment, the programme design, delivery and assessment are presented. Relevant stakeholders are involved throughout. They include employers, master and doctoral candidates, faculty, graduate course directors and teaching staff directly involved in the programme. The programme includes methodologies of self-evaluation and course evolution. It is found that the programme is perceived as very important by the trainees and that there is an increasing number of enrolled trainees. The challenges of a sustained delivery of such a growing programme are shortly addressed.