The Importance of a Project-Based Education for Engineering Students
There is a new trend in the industry (most notably in engineering) which I find quite interesting. It wasn’t long ago when the engineering job market valued people’s ability to specialize in a certain field. However, more recently, we are starting to notice a different trend: companies want people who know a bit of everything, and more importantly, people who can learn new concepts very easily. A systems-oriented mindset is valued. Companies realize that it is important for people to not only understand low-level technical work, but also the impact of key design elements on the entire project, attainable only through a clear understanding of other subsystems. As a result, many universities are trying to diversify their curriculum and provide students with the option to learn about many different topics rather than specializing.
I say this, of course, from personal experience. I am fortunate enough to end my undergraduate degree with a couple of internships in my pocket, but some may argue that I haven’t spent much time in a full-time position either, so take this post as you see fit. From all the people I have met professionally, the most influential are those with a more systematic approach to solving problems.
Although my work experiences have been very diverse, most of my work necessitated that I take a system oriented role within the team. More specifically, my first internship was with Bombardier. I was in charge of the approval of various parts for the fuel system of their new C-Series planes by ensuring that these parts satisfied all system-level requirements . My second internship was with the Canadian Space Agency. Although I am a mechanical engineering student, I was working on what seemed like a sweet spot between software, simulations and mechanical engineering. I was tasked to develop a program that will be used for satellite and mission design, which also necessitated a good understanding of a satellite as a whole. My third internship was at Urthecast, a private satellite company where I worked as a systems engineering intern. I was tasked to understand multiple systems most of which were unrelated to my mechanical degree, which made it all the more worthwhile. Lastly, I am a member of a Space Concordia, where I was team lead and systems lead of their satellite division. My position necessitated a good technical knowledge of the satellite and a thorough understanding of each subdivision.
Engineering is a Practical Degree
Jobs are becoming more and more hybridized, and I believe that students should have the capabilities of doing more than one specialty. The current mechanical engineering curriculum of most universities is already extremely broad. In fact, it is so broad that in no way could I consider myself technically capable of doing any type of analysis or design change if it weren’t for my other experiences. The problem is not that we aren’t teaching the right material (we already have a multidisciplinary-ish type of curriculum in Concordia University), but instead the way that we are teaching it. Engineering is a practical degree. Of course, theory is important, but at the end of the day, we have to apply the theory.
What’s weird is that a lot of the very specific material we learn are so theoretical that it becomes forgettable. I can’t even remember half of the stuff I learnt on my first year, regardless of whether or not I did well. What’s even weirder is that it is sometimes much easier for us students to learn theory on our own, than to sit through a whole lecture. My point being that the majority of the theoretical material we learn as Engineering students is quickly forgotten. It is important, but the way in which it can be effectively applied is more relevant.
What students tend to overlook is the soft skills you gain when applying theoretical concepts. Due to the hybridization of the industry, it becomes more and more difficult for students to understand theoretical concepts of various disciplines, and can become effectively inefficient due to how easily one might forget these concepts. Ultimately, it is much more valuable for educational institutions to focus on developing students’ soft skills. As students and new employees in this evolving industry, we need to develop characteristics that make us adaptable workers. A lot of the theory we learn in class can be self-taught, but what we cannot teach ourselves is the importance of a good work-ethic and how to develop a system-oriented thought process.
Developing a System-Oriented Mindset
Engineering is, by default, hybrid. But what people fail to understand is how it is hybrid. More specifically how one system depends on another system as well (not the “if”, but the “how”). People need specific examples. We aren’t trained to take into consideration other aspects of a project. The material we are thought is so low-level that sometimes, we tend to forget that other subsystem are largely affected by our decisions. Especially for a satellite, a rocket or a rover where every small thing changes everything else, it becomes difficult to make decisions. We aren’t trained to develop a proper thought process. Our current curriculum only focuses on the analysis of very low-level concepts, most of which can be done very quickly given the right resources.
I would like to suggest what many students are probably already suggesting. A more project-based curriculum (especially for my program, Mechanical Engineering) which requires the students to go out of their comfort zones, and that the school provide guidance from there. Or even better, to emphasize the importance of extra-curricular projects and provide students with more apparent resources or platforms to work on ideas. Concordia University already does a very good job at providing resources to students and encouraging some sort of project-based approach (mini-capstone and capstone), but two projects is not enough for students to develop the right work ethic. In addition, these projects are divided per engineering field when it should instead be encouraged to work with other disciplines. Students need to work on more hybrid projects. An engineering project is mostly multidisciplinary, and in addition, it teaches students to learn things that aren’t necessarily technical; soft skills that mold our way of thinking.
I remember when my Co-op coordinator visited my colleague and myself at my second internship at the CSA, he asked my colleague’s boss the following question: “What can the University do to make their students more attractive to the CSA?” What he answered was that it does not matter what the University does in a classroom setting because to the eyes of people like him, someone who graduates from one school is identical to any other student. What differs however from student to student is the values and soft skills they have. Things that can only be shown through projects such as the satellite, not through a number on a paper. I learnt many things such as managing a team, committing to a deadline, dealing with difficult members, various social skills and professionalism. Things I can’t really describe in words, but only through actions. People tend to notice these things. People notice when you know your stuff based on all the experience you accumulate.
I really owe it to Space Concordia. In no way would I be where I am today if it weren’t for the work I have done for the society. If you are a student reading this post, I strongly encourage you to get yourself involved in a student society and become an active member. Make a difference. Become important. It may take a while for Universities to change due to the large amounts of bureaucracy required within a well-established organization, but student associations will always be there. The knowledge and experience you will gain is invaluable, both in a professional and personal sense.
Low-level details can be easy to teach, but would provide very little value to the student if he wishes to pursue an engineering career in the industry, since it can be easily self-taught. Hybrid project-based programs are more difficult to manage, but the outcome can be much more significant, especially in this very demanding industry.
