Abstract
The rapid transformation of labor markets following global disruptions such as COVID-19 has highlighted the increasing importance of soft skills—communication, teamwork, adaptability, creativity, and resilience—alongside traditional technical expertise in engineering education. Despite their recognized value, universities often prioritize hard skills, leaving graduates underprepared for the interpersonal and organizational demands of professional practice. The absence of a unified taxonomy of soft skills in engineering, coupled with challenges in their definition, assessment, and integration, continues to hinder effective curriculum development. Moreover, students' attitudes toward soft skills significantly shape their willingness to acquire them, yet empirical evidence on these attitudes, particularly in relation to internships, remains scarce.
This study aims to address these gaps by: (1) identifying and defining the most relevant soft skills for engineering students through a systematic literature review and validation using the fuzzy Delphi method with academic experts; (2) investigating engineering students' attitudes toward these skills through a validated questionnaire; and (3) exploring how these attitudes evolve during internships via longitudinal data collection at three stages (start, midpoint, and end). Both quantitative (Likert-scale) and qualitative (open-ended) data will be analyzed using statistical and thematic approaches.
The project's significance lies in bridging conceptual and practical gaps in engineering education. Scientifically, it will contribute to a clearer model of soft skills relevant to engineers and provide insights into how students' attitudes develop through experiential learning. Practically, the findings will inform curriculum design, assessment strategies, and internship practices, offering universities and employers evidence-based recommendations for fostering essential professional skills. By focusing on the interplay between attitudes and skill acquisition, the study emphasizes the role of internships as powerful platforms for shaping professional identity and employability.
Ultimately, this research will advance international efforts to align engineering education with 21st-century workforce demands, supporting both lifelong learning and lifelong employability. Its outcomes are expected to benefit students, educators, institutions, and industry stakeholders, while contributing to global debates on the future of engineering education.
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