{"id":25886,"date":"2024-08-22T13:15:29","date_gmt":"2024-08-22T05:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?post_type=advice&#038;p=25886"},"modified":"2025-09-25T07:59:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T23:59:16","slug":"preparing-your-toolkit-job-ready-skills-for-engineering-graduates","status":"publish","type":"advice","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/advice\/preparing-your-toolkit-job-ready-skills-for-engineering-graduates\/","title":{"rendered":"Be a job-ready engineering graduate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Being job-ready means that you\u2019ve got what&#8217;s needed to get <\/strong><strong>on with the job in the first engineering role that you land \u2013 with professional knowledge, practical expertise and soft skills to immediately<strong> be a valued employee.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you think about what it takes to be an engineer, you probably think about STEM areas \u2013 physics, maths and chemistry, and maybe design skills. But what do you know about soft skills, and other \u2018job-ready\u2019 attributes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to become job-ready<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When we say you get \u2018job-ready\u2019 engineering skills at Curtin, we mean that we give you the opportunities to develop the areas of expertise you need for your career in engineering:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>knowledge of your field \u2013 the theories, concepts and how they\u2019re applied<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>practical skills for the activities of your field<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>soft skills that ensure you can be a valued contributor to multidisciplinary work teams.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_325535635-1000x500.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25891\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_325535635-1000x500.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_325535635-740x370.jpeg 740w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_325535635-480x240.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_325535635-1260x630.jpeg 1260w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_325535635-1520x760.jpeg 1520w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_325535635-1920x960.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are soft skills?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Soft skills are often thought of as people skills \u2013 how you engage with others and build professional relationships. They include the ability to communicate clearly, participate in teamwork, manage time. You might\u2019ve assumed that soft skills are what managers need \u2013 the knack of being able to \u2018talk-the-talk\u2019. But soft skills are relevant to all roles and all industries, which is why they\u2019re also known as \u2018transferrable\u2019 skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cognitive abilities like reasoning, problem-solving and emotional intelligence are also considered to be soft skills. \u2018Empathy\u2019 is another desirable personal quality, because the ability to empathise with people and communities that have certain challenges is fundamental in many careers, from medicine to journalism to engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What soft skills do engineers need?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Collaboration and communication skills are key skills for anyone who works as part of a project team. Keep in mind that engineers with the same qualification as you will generally have the same knowledge and skillsets as you, so it\u2019s competence in soft skills that could set you apart from other job applicants. And once you\u2019ve started your engineering career, any soft skills you demonstrate will give your employers more reason to trust your capabilities \u2013 which in turn will help you advance your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being able to analyse information, engage with stakeholders and communicate clearly is important. But at Curtin, as well as giving our Engineering students opportunities to gain those traditional soft skills, we understand that, like practical skills, non-technical knowledge evolves and changes with society\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the other \u2018job-ready\u2019 skills we think are important for the next generation of engineers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Environmental awareness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Like most university students in the 2020s, engineering students are aware that environmental issues are impacting all areas of society. At Curtin, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/advice\/a-brighter-tomorrow-understanding-curtins-commitment-to-sustainability\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/advice\/a-brighter-tomorrow-understanding-curtins-commitment-to-sustainability\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">our curriculum aligns with the UN\u2019s Sustainable Development Goals<\/a> (SDGs) and emphasises your responsibilities as an engineer, including how to address climate change challenges and advocate for greater social and cultural diversity in industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reflecting the importance of those considerations in all engineering endeavours, in 2025 Curtin unveiled a new Bachelor of Engineering major: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/offering\/course-ug-environmental-engineering-major-beng-hons--mjrh-eveng\/\">Environmental Engineering<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Globally, there is increasing respect for STEM roles that devise and implement environmental innovations. This new Curtin course responds to the world&#8217;s need for engineers who  support sustainability practices and design solutions that avoid adverse environmental impacts. In addition to recognising the importance of the United Nations SDGs, the Curtin initiative further endorses the Sustainability Policy of Australia&#8217;s peak engineering body, Engineers Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Systems thinking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Systems thinking is being highlighted as <a href=\"https:\/\/curve.mit.edu\/ask-an-mit-professor-what-is-system-thinking-and-why-is-it-important\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the most important cognitive skill of the 21st century<\/a>. And what is it? It\u2019s the big picture. You\u2019re applying \u2018systems thinking\u2019 when you think about all the parts that make up a whole structure. It helps you understand the complexity of a thing and the relationships between its components \u2013 whether it\u2019s a bike, a bridge or the human body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an engineer, systems thinking will help you to design more efficient, robust and adaptable engineering systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_389224336-1000x500.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25890\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_389224336-1000x500.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_389224336-740x370.jpeg 740w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_389224336-480x240.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_389224336-1260x630.jpeg 1260w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_389224336-1520x760.jpeg 1520w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_389224336-1920x960.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At Curtin, all of our Engineering courses encourage systems thinking, from our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/study-areas\/engineering-mining-surveying\/engineering-foundation-year\/#linkid=um-scieng-tisc-engineering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Engineering Foundation Year<\/a>, where Curtin students learn the fundamental concepts and skills common to all areas of engineering before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/advice\/your-guide-to-choosing-the-right-engineering-major\/\" data-type=\"advice\" data-id=\"23714\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">choosing the Engineering major that suits them best<\/a>, to our specialist postgraduate degrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Systems thinking is fundamental to deep understanding and to innovation. Which brings us to the engineers\u2019 soft skill #3 \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An innovation mindset<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For next-generation engineers, a considerable proportion will be in jobs that are involved in energy transition in one way or another \u2013 particularly electrical, chemical, civil, mechanical and mining engineers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To bring those fields together in a collective effort, in 2023 Curtin engineering researchers and lecturers collaborated to design an innovative course in energy engineering. Energy engineering is a massive growth field \u2013 and the demand for energy engineers who can invent, develop, implement and manage energy systems that are reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly is set to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/offering\/course-ug-energy-engineering-major-beng-hons--mjrh-eengr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Curtin\u2019s Bachelor of Energy Engineering (Honours)<\/a> course aligns with our research endeavours in energy transition. For example, we\u2019ve established the <a href=\"https:\/\/research.curtin.edu.au\/ciet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Curtin Institute for Energy Transition<\/a>, or CIET, as a multidisciplinary research hub. The centre brings together engineering, science, engineering, health and humanities fields to encourage the multidisciplinary research effort involved in energy transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a Curtin Energy Engineering student, you\u2019ll be part of the world-renowned Western Australian School of Mines, or WASM. And WASM hosts several research groups with energy resources projects, including lithium extraction and hydrogen storage technologies. Being in the global hub of energy and resources activities that is Western Australia gives Curtin\u2019s Engineering graduates more opportunities to be at the fore of endeavours in mining and energy innovation \u2013 an area where soft skills in collaboration and systems thinking will be invaluable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also recognise that to foster innovation you need to demonstrate it. At Curtin, in addition to our purpose-designed Engineering Pavilion, we have a unique facility known as the Green Electric Energy Park. The GEEP, as we call it, is an innovative lab supporting advanced power-system concepts for renewable energy technologies. (In fact, after Curtin established GEEP, it was applauded by the international Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Power and Energy Society as a new initiative in power engineering education.) &nbsp;At the GEEP, Curtin Engineering students conduct experiments and contribute to research projects on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro; distributed generation using hydrogen fuel cells; battery energy storage-based micro-grids; hybrid power systems; power converters; and energy storages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-1000x500.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-25892\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-1000x500.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-740x370.jpeg 740w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-768x384.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-1536x768.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-scaled.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-480x240.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-1260x630.jpeg 1260w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-1520x760.jpeg 1520w, https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/AdobeStock_236117184-1920x960.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Innovation and AI<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s hard to imagine 21st-century innovation without AI. It\u2019s a realm where systems thinking is vital to defining AI tasks, and where \u2018prompt engineering\u2019 \u2013 creating instructions for AI \u2013 is a key communication skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not surprisingly, our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/offering\/course-ug-mechatronic-engineering-major-beng-hons--mjrh-mexen\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/offering\/course-ug-mechatronic-engineering-major-beng-hons--mjrh-mexen\/\">Mechatronics Engineering<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/offering\/course-ug-industrial-and-systems-engineering-major-beng-hons--mjrh-inden\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/offering\/course-ug-industrial-and-systems-engineering-major-beng-hons--mjrh-inden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Industrial and Systems Engineering<\/a> have a strong focus on advanced automation and robotics. However, Curtin\u2019s AI-based innovation is happening even where you can\u2019t see it \u2013 like, underwater. A Curtin team is developing a new AI-based technology to help monitor and repair corrosion in such as jetties, ports, pipelines and other marine structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, in addition to the better-known soft skills \u2013 communication, engagement, leadership \u2013 at Curtin, we encourage our Engineering graduates to gain the lesser-known soft skills that we think will define 21st-century engineering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Collaborating on projects related to global and community need, being immersed in the realm of innovation, developing or exploiting new technologies \u2026 contributing to solutions for the big problems. Those are the job qualities that, beyond the salary, make a career rewarding, fascinating and fun! Not only do they highlight the depth and breadth of job-ready skills for engineers, but they also demonstrate how exciting the careers will be for Curtin Engineering graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1588\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Engineer-1588x500.jpg\" alt=\"Female engineer working with robotic machine\" class=\"wp-image-21672\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/study\/offering\/course-ug-bachelor-of-engineering-honours--bh-engr\/\">Learn more<\/a> about Curtin\u2019s Engineering degrees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Curtin&#8217;s Engineering courses give you the knowledge and practical skills you need, plus the soft skills that successful engineers use every day of their career.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4451,"featured_media":25887,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"5082,8267,4698,6590,15119,5018","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_category":102,"footnotes":""},"categories":[102],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25886","advice","type-advice","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-engineering"],"acf":{"post_options":{"":null,"additional_content":{"title":"The Curtin Engineering Pavilion","content":"<p>The Curtin Engineering Pavilion is a purpose-built, three-storey facility that provides our Engineering students with the best in learning resources and collaboration spaces.<\/p>\n","image":{"ID":12381,"id":12381,"title":"engineering-building-1588x840","filename":"engineering-building-1588x840-1.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/engineering-building-1588x840-1.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/?attachment_id=12381","alt":"","author":"4275","description":"","caption":"","name":"engineering-building-1588x840","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":12380,"date":"2022-07-07 00:57:16","modified":"2022-07-07 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