Engineering Graduates Employability Skills: What dimensions are important? 

Amarjit Singh , Zaida Mustafa, Azrul Fazwan Kharuddin
Universiti Tun Abdul Razak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) and the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) stressed the need for Malaysian engineering graduates to be able to assimilate sustainable development knowledge, skills and values in their professional practice. To accomplish the attributes of engineering graduates of the 21st century, engineering education has to match the desired strategies that can produce the desired quality of graduates. The purpose of the study is to develop and validate an engineering employability skills framework for Malaysian engineering graduates, which is built up upon the Malaysia Engineering Employability Skills (MEES) model developed by Zaharim, Yusoff, Omar and Mohamed (2009). The objectives are to elucidate the most theoretically and statistically accurate factor structure of the previously developed MEES model using Structural Equation Model (SEM) based on pertinent stakeholders’ perceptions on essential skills required and current needs in engineering fields.