Abstract:

In this study, we have investigated and identified the required generic competencies for new engineering graduates based on the local Saudi industry needs and requirements. Current statistics of Saudi labor market shows that most of engineering jobs are run by non-Saudi engineers who have become a more competent and less expensive human resource. Such a situation has created a real challenge for new Saudi engineers to compete without having certain level of the required engineering competencies that satisfy employers. Data information were gathered through surveying directly different involved parties such as major national companies, alumni, Saudi Engineering Council, and professors and lectures in different engineering academic programs. The identified generic competencies were clustered and categorized to get a final engineering graduate competencies reference list. The analysis of gathered information allowed us to highlight the importance of each competency as an additional key information to design a competencies card with appropriate performance indicators. The identified generic competencies can be useful reference for curriculum design to assign multiple performance indicators for assessing engineering programs and their outcomes. Reducing the gap between the desired level of the required competencies and the actual outcomes level obtained from the academic programs can be met with offering multiple additional industrial internships and short training programs for students to take during their stay in their undergraduate study

Keywords:

Competencies, curriculum, market needs, outcomes, accreditation.