STRATEGIC POLICY INTERVENTIONS FOR ENHANCING THE FUTURE OF ENGINEERING GRADUATES IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Immediate action is needed in the engineering industry of Pakistan. Every year, there are more than twenty-five thousand graduates in engineering fields getting ready to take up employment. There is an ever-growing problem of mismatch between the rapid advancements in technology, the skills of these graduates, and the current job market. This research aims to understand the reason behind the gaps and offer solution policies to strategically guide graduates towards meeting the global expectations for the Engineering fields. Pakistan’s engineering education is evaluated in this research using a comprehensive mixed-methods approach that focuses on a broad range of data sources. It includes newly collected data from employer and graduate questionnaires, as well as expert interviews, policy document reviews from the HEC, PEC, NAVTTC, TEVTA, and other relevant institutions. The analysis suggests that the major engineering education problems include obsolete syllabi and insufficient hands-on learning, inadequate soft skills, weak relationships between industries and universities, minimal research and development, and inequality regarding access to quality engineering education. Policy documents provided by HEC and PEC try to resolve these challenges by using the Outcome Based Education (OBE) model and by employing various accreditation systems. Completion in particular as the study highlights is a problem when it comes to implementation, evaluation, and monitoring is weak and poorly constructed. Furthermore, the gap between the policymakers, academic world, and industries has been a hurdle for any real development. The value of international case studies especially Germany, India, and China vis-a-vis vocational training, private sector participation and regulatory scrutiny stand out in context to Pakistan. This study concludes that, within the proper context of educational infrastructure, engineering skills and job opportunities, graduates in Pakistan can significantly contribute to its development. The accompanying policies and guidelines with this document serve as an initial guide to suggest appropriate solutions for educational policymakers, institutional leaders, and business leaders regarding the outbound mobility phenomenon in Pakistan's engineering education system.