On the impacts of project based learning for workplace preparedness of engineering graduates

Aligning preparedness of graduates with the current and future workplace demands is a complex issue for higher education institutions. Labor market demands can shift very rapidly in knowledge-based economies, so it is not easy to predict what kind of work or trades will come out in the future. Therefore, tying university and college programs too closely to immediate labor market demands is not desired in the US higher education system. However, it is possible to predict the skills graduates will need to prosper in workplace and improve education system without limiting the missions of colleges and universities to training of students for specific job skills. In the case of engineering education, project based learning (PBL) can provide a way to prepare students for the current and future demands of engineering profession, without focusing education solely on the development of specific job skills. This paper is a review on benefits and challenges associated with the implementations of PBL in engineering education.