Convergence in education and employment of engineering students: Korean evidence

Abstract

The convergence of science, technology, the humanities, and the social sciences is an irreversible general trend. As a result, it will be important to foster employability counseling of engineering students leading to an understanding of why broad knowledge will help their employability. This study measures the effects of the convergence concept on students’ employability by calculating the proportion of major classes taken in the humanities and social sciences among all college classes taken. This study analyzed the impact of convergence education as well as academic performance such as grades and study abroad experience on employability using employability-course matched data on graduates from a college of engineering from 2008 to 2015. The results showed that the higher percentage of classes taken in business administration or economics, as well as the total GPA and participation in study abroad programs, the more positive the effect on getting a job. This result reflects the reality that companies that value professional engineers are beginning to prefer that they have not only a business-oriented mindset but knowledge about other fields so that they can deal with the complexities and rapid changes in modern society. Accordingly, fostering corporate human resources philosophies that advocate for broad education will not only increase productivity in the labor market but make a great contribution to the development of colleges.