Mechatronics Engineering at Polytechnic School of University of Säo Paulo: A survey analysis of Egress alumni

This paper presents some results obtained from an inquiry performed between 2003 and 2008 with Mechatronics Engineering alumni of the Polytechnic School of the University of Sao Paulo (EPUSP). The research method was based on an elaboration of evaluation tools, applied as a questionnaire. These were sent to a sample of 365 alumni. It was comprised by 49 questions related to professional experience and the undergraduate curriculum It was applied online, through the platform "Moodle/Stoa", and the survey data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Through the results it was possible to collect information on subjects which have been fundamental for a Mechatronics engineer in different job areas. The main motivation for this research was to obtain the following information: if the course is appropriate considering the reality experienced by mechatronic engineers in the job market. They are one of the main sources of information on societal needs, in terms of technological and social development, as they are in direct contact to the evolution in the way of life. Therefore, one could expect the such acquired knowledge throughout their careers to be useful on the improvement of their Undergraduate Program, while making it more adequate to current society needs.