In the global knowledge economy of the 21st century we are witnessing an ever increasing pace of knowledge creation, mostly in the sciences and engineering. The developed and developing world economies alike are seeking out new ways to increase and sustain technical competencies and preparedness of their workforce. Dr Charles Vest, President of the US National Academy of Engineering, in a recent 2007 speech put it simply: prospering in the knowledge age requires people with (updated) knowledge.
The rapid growth of knowledge in science and engineering is reducing the “half-life” of Bachelors and advanced degrees. Half-life refers to the time it takes for the degree to lose half its value. Moreover, new fields are constantly emerging (e.g. nanotechnology, biotechnology, and informatics).
In the 1960s, a typical engineer with an advanced degree would have no more than 2-3 jobs during his or her lifetime. In contrast, today’s engineers are changing jobs every 2-3 years because corporations are downsizing, outsourcing and offshoring at a similar pace. By some estimates, today’s engineers will have changed jobs at least 10 times before they turn 40 years of age.
Private engineering firms are well aware of the importance of a high-quality and competent workforce. As remarked by Bill Gates, global corporations make decisions about where to locate a new plant or an R&D facility based not on labor cost but on the availability of technically savvy workforce.
The Lifelong Learning Imperative project was initiated by the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) to assess current practices in lifelong learning for engineering professionals, reexamine the underlying assumptions behind those practices, and outline strategies for addressing unmet needs. The project Steering Committee consisted of corporate executives and university leaders.
Following a 2009 framing workshop, the project team led by Deba Dutta, NAE Scholar in Resident and Dean of the Graduate College at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, conducted a survey of engineering professionals and interviewed several engineering executives.
Findings of the study indicate that the current infrastructure in the US for lifelong learning for engineers is ad-hoc and inadequate for the demands of the 21st century.
The survey results point to career growth as the major motivation for lifelong learning amongst engineers. Many feel that lack of time and finances are the primary obstacles that prevent them from engaging in lifelong learning.
An overwhelming majority of surveyed engineers expect businesses (industries) to play the leading role and in collaboration with universities and professional societies should develop a national framework. But, small to medium enterprises (SMEs) face significant challenges since they do not have the necessary resources and often focus on how to survive in the fiercely competitive global marketplace.
The surveyed engineers also believe that lifelong learning programs in the U.S. must be directed at learning business practices in other countries.
A final workshop in the October 2011 convened academic, government and corporate experts to discuss next steps. A key recommendation to industry, academia, professional societies, and policymakers is to work together to develop a national framework for lifelong learning for engineers.
The LLI project final report is to be published soon.
Debasish Dutta, Professor, University of Illinois








