IDENTIFYING AND QUANTIFYING INDUSTRY PERCEPTIONS OF ENGINEERING DRAWING SKILLS IN NOVICE MALAYSIAN ENGINEERS
Year: 2011
Editor: Culley, S.J.; Hicks, B.J.; McAloone, T.C.; Howard, T.J. & Ion, B.
Author: Burvill, Colin Reginald; Field, Bruce William; Abdullah, Zulkeflee
Series: ICED
Section: Design Education
Page(s): 1-12
Abstract
This paper reports on a survey completed to investigate the engineering drawing based technical competencies of novice (graduate) engineers from the perspective of the manufacturing industry sector. The survey sought the views of engineering managers about both the competencies of current novice engineers and their expected competency for effectiveness within their workplace. The survey quantified anecdotal information provided by Malaysian colleagues. Survey questions were based on interviews with experienced Malaysian design and manufacturing engineers. 150 Malaysian industries were invited to participate in the online survey, of which 35 industries participated. The survey revealed that for all twelve issues investigated, there was a management perception that novice engineers have a lower competence than is management’s expectation for the ability of current novice engineers. The survey participants identified the visualization of the three dimensional (3D) form of an object based on two dimensional (2D) drawing(s), and the interpretation of 2D drawings with interconnected parts as the competencies needing the most improvement in novice engineers.
Keywords: NOVICE ENGINEER COMPETENCY; MALAYSIAN MANUFACTURING; ENGINEERING DRAWING READING AND VISUALISATION