Many researchers in engineering education have studied the engineering curriculum,
employability, industrial training, generic skills and gender issues. From a wide
spectrum of study, there is a gap around issues of interpersonal skills and enterprise
skills in engineering education that has not been studied. Previous study has shown
that there is unemployment amongst graduate engineers in Malaysia. This study
aimed to assess whether the suggested lack of interpersonal and enterprise skills
competencies cause unemployment amongst engineering graduates in Malaysia. This
study also intended to appraise whether engineering undergraduates have received a
quality work placement appropriate to their learning, knowledge and employability
skills and also to create awareness about interpersonal and enterprise skills
competencies amongst engineering undergraduates, higher education educators and
employers in Malaysia. This study intended to create awareness about the importance
of interpersonal and enterprise skills amongst engineers. A mixed method of
questionnaire survey and interview was used to access data from final year
engineering students and employers in Malaysia. Results from the study have
provided evidence that interpersonal and enterprise skills are not a major contributor
to unemployment of engineering graduates in Malaysia. This study has created new
awareness of the subject that will allow the enhancement of the engineering education
curriculum. This study has demonstrated that when interviewing companies for the
purposes of research into curriculum it is necessary to have full awareness of their
culture and ways of working.
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