What makes a succesful Engineers?

Abstract

One may see an engineer as a person with a university education in engineering who may take an idea and turn it into a useful thing for other people to use. An engineer may make a better mouse trap, or tell people how best to build a bridge or a skyscraper. Whatever things to they wish to do, an engineer is to make sure people are safe and the next is to improve life. They can become very good engineers who can handle tools and machineries. Die-hards and loyal engineers to these perceptions have been losing out in terms of managerial positions, wealth and leadership to those who are enterprising and see business as well as quality management as prime factors to improve life, build better bridges and skyscrapers. In this fast changing world, the expectations towards engineers have changed. Engineers have to leave their cocoon if they wish to be better engineers of today and see the reality of life which is getting more sophisticated and complex. They need skills to manage people, technology, money, physical facilities, time, money and ther resources. In addition, they also need to communicate effectively with society and other non-engineering people from various professions. Prestigious universities in the USA have been pushing for changes in their engineering programs. One might wonder why and what's behind the sudden push by universities to produce people-smart engineers? Engineers must learn to be leaders not mere followers or just faithful employees of organisations. These skills and knowledge are easily acquired from the humanities and social sciences disciplines and engineers must no longer shy away from it as they can be better engineers, scientists and wealthy business people should they have those value-added qualities.