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Abstract

This study investigates engineering students’ global workforce perceptions as part of a larger research effort that addresses the global workforce expectation differences between industry and engineering graduates. Approximately 127 undergraduate engineers at a large university in the U.S. responded to the following question: What do you hope/expect to know upon completion of college to better prepare you to work successfully in a global engineering environment? To identify patterns in the responses, an integrative mixed-methods approach called concept mapping is utilized. The concept map visually illustrates and organizes dimensions related to student global workforce perceptions. Students also rated their confidence in attaining these skills as well as the importance of acquiring these skills. By combining the results of the concept map and constructing pattern matches with the rating data we identify gaps that may be used to inform future curriculum development in institutions of higher education.

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