Workplace practices for leadership development of engineers

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On March 10th, 2016 ILead hosted their second Community of Practice conference of the year, “Workplace Practices for Leadership Development of Engineers”. Students, ILead staff, and engineering professionals gathered to discuss current research and industry practices with respect to engineering leadership education, transitions to the workplace, and making an effort to understand generational differences and expectations.

The conference was divided into three sessions. During the first session, ILead staff presented the findings of their study on leadership development of engineering students. In particular, the study examined how the participation in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities contributes to the development of engineering and leadership skills and identity among students. The study revealed that work, design competitions, and professional development activities were most effective at helping students build their engineering skills. In contrast, leadership programming, student government and industry-based professional development had the most impact on the formation of leadership skills. The study has important implications for engineering educators, student life professionals, and engineering faculty administrators.

The subsequent session switched gears by introducing a panel of engineering professionals to share their practices and strategies in recruiting new hires, in addition to their leadership initiatives and challenges in their respective workplaces. The panel was well received by attendees, providing insight into recruitment for future engineers and a platform for engineering professionals to compare their current practices and inspire new initiatives.

The final module of the conference had attendees confronting generational assumptions and expectations of millennials entering the workplace. Participants were asked to pair with another attendee of their respective generation and, on paper, describe traits of the opposite generation. Subsequently, attendees observed how they were perceived by the opposite generation. Discussion arose on the topic of silo mentality and it was concluded that listening to the individual rather than compartmentalizing generations collectively will lead to mutual benefit and success for advancement as a population.

The conference provoked discussion between parties and provided all participants a platform of reflection for future conduct. “The conference was a great platform for me to realize the differences and similarities in academic versus industry approaches to leadership and leadership education” says Geordie Distelmeyer (ChemE 1T6), “having the opportunity to speak with leaders from industry helped me to better understand active practices utilized for personal and professional development in the workplace.”

-Michael Sabatini