TOMORROW’S UNIVERSITY GRADUATE: CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY NEEDS AND CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT

John Walewski; Amy Ahim Kim

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Conference: 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Vancouver, BC
Publication Date: June 26, 2011
Start Date: June 26, 2011
End Date: June 29, 2011
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: New Teaching Methods in Construction Eduction
Tagged Division: Construction
Page Count: 7
Page Numbers: 22.1532.1 - 22.1532.7
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--18442
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/18442
Download Count: 355

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Paper Authors

biography

John Walewski Texas A&M University

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John A. Walewski, Ph.D., is an assistant professor with the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University with research interests in sustainable design and construction techniques, risk management and insurance, pre-project planning, and the use of alternative project delivery and procurement methods. John is a Board member of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Central Texas-Balcones Chapter. Dr. Walewski obtained a Civil Engineering Ph.D. (Construction Engineering and Project Management focus) at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) in May 2005, and became a research associate with UT’s Center for Transportation Research assisting with local, regional, and national transportation issues. Before moving to Texas, John was a program officer with the Board on Infrastructure and the Constructed Environment at the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, in Washington, DC. He has over fifteen years of experience in industry and research associated with the planning, design, transportation, and construction professions. Dr. Walewski obtained a graduate degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan, and a BS in construction management as well as a BLA in landscape architecture from Michigan State University.

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Amy Ahim Kim

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Abstract

TOMORROW’S UNIVERSITY GRADUATE: CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY NEEDS AND CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENTThis paper will report out on a research project funded by the Construction Industry Institute.The objective of this research effort is to identify and evaluate the skill set that futureconstruction industry graduates will need in the 2015 timeframe—as well as the potentialbarriers that academic program may encounter to adequately teach the identified skill necessaryfor new employees in 2015 and beyond. Identification and dissemination of this information willmake a significant impact and improve industry efficiency. A comprehensive review andassessment of near-future skill needs for university graduates entering the construction industryas well as the curriculums from programs that supply students will be conducted and will resultin sustaining future leadership. The assessment of how current construction-related universitycurriculums specifically address the future skill set needs of the industry, as well as theidentification of barriers to reform, will be the focus of this paper.The research team will complete the research study by December of 2010. A broad based surveyof construction industry personnel across all sectors of the industry and geographic regions of thecountry is underway. Additionally, the research team will survey academics to gather additionaldata and insights on how respective curriculum meets industry expectations. The research teamwill sample and assess the curricula of at least two civil engineering and two constructionscience/management programs and identify any gaps where the existing curricula fails to meetthe desires of industry relative to the skill sets desired by industry for graduates in 2015.Subsequently, the research team will validate and further refine the survey results through focusgroup type workshops. Workshops will provide additional data and clarity towards the results ofthe study by having industry representatives engage in discussions of the skill sets in a morethought provoking manner than a survey instrument alone.Once the skill sets desired by industry have been documented, and the gap analysis performed,the research team will identify the challenges and barriers for academia in meeting the industry’sdesires for graduates in 2015, including the issues of how curriculum adjustments can occur onthe framework of accreditation requirements. Finally, the research team will identifyopportunities for academia and industry to work symbiotically to overcome the challenges andbarriers currently in place to help deliver graduates that meet and even exceed the desires ofindustry in 2015 and beyond.

Citation
Format

Walewski, J., & Kim, A. A. (2011, June), TOMORROW’S UNIVERSITY GRADUATE: CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY NEEDS AND CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18442

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -               TOMORROW’S UNIVERSITY GRADUATE:         CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY NEEDS AND CURRICULUM                        ENHANCEMENTThis paper will report out on a research project funded by the Construction Industry Institute.The objective of this research effort is to identify and evaluate the skill set that futureconstruction industry graduates will need in the 2015 timeframe—as well as the potentialbarriers that academic program may encounter to adequately teach the identified skill necessaryfor new employees in 2015 and beyond. Identification and dissemination of this information willmake a significant impact and improve industry efficiency. A comprehensive review andassessment of near-future skill needs for university graduates entering the construction industryas well as the curriculums from programs that supply students will be conducted and will resultin sustaining future leadership. The assessment of how current construction-related universitycurriculums specifically address the future skill set needs of the industry, as well as theidentification of barriers to reform, will be the focus of this paper.The research team will complete the research study by December of 2010. A broad based surveyof construction industry personnel across all sectors of the industry and geographic regions of thecountry is underway. Additionally, the research team will survey academics to gather additionaldata and insights on how respective curriculum meets industry expectations. The research teamwill sample and assess the curricula of at least two civil engineering and two constructionscience/management programs and identify any gaps where the existing curricula fails to meetthe desires of industry relative to the skill sets desired by industry for graduates in 2015.Subsequently, the research team will validate and further refine the survey results through focusgroup type workshops. Workshops will provide additional data and clarity towards the results ofthe study by having industry representatives engage in discussions of the skill sets in a morethought provoking manner than a survey instrument alone.Once the skill sets desired by industry have been documented, and the gap analysis performed,the research team will identify the challenges and barriers for academia in meeting the industry’sdesires for graduates in 2015, including the issues of how curriculum adjustments can occur onthe framework of accreditation requirements. Finally, the research team will identifyopportunities for academia and industry to work symbiotically to overcome the challenges andbarriers currently in place to help deliver graduates that meet and even exceed the desires ofindustry in 2015 and beyond.
AU  - John Walewski
AU  - Amy Ahim Kim
CY  - Vancouver, BC
DA  - 2011/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - TOMORROW’S UNIVERSITY GRADUATE: CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY NEEDS AND CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENT
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/18442
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--18442
ER  -