Developing t-shaped civil engineers through involvement in out-of-class activities

Abstract

The National Academy of Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineering, ABET, Inc. and other entities have described the global vision for the future of engineering and civil engineering specifically. Included in this global vision are the competencies necessary to equip civil engineers to contribute to solving industry-spanning technical, social, financial, political, and cultural challenges. While curricular activities have long been the focus of engineering education research and practice, engineering educators have recently begun to recognize the value of what engineering students do outside of the classroom. The goal of this paper is to introduce and engage the AHFE HSSE community on the workforce challenges specific to the construction industry, and to explore out-of-class activities as pathways for developing the 21st century competencies necessary to solve these challenges.