What do you view as the most important engineering issues facing our industry today?
Interviewers ask this question to get a better sense of how you typically approach problems on a macro level while also gauging your knowledge of the industry as a whole. It's crucial for the future prosperity of the engineering industry that companies remain proactive on the challenges of tomorrow.
"I recently read that the engineering industry is struggling against a widespread skill and staff shortage. Raising awareness of engineering careers is something I feel needs more attention. Young people who know more about what engineers do are more likely to perceive the profession in a positive way and to consider a career in engineering. A recent study showed that young people attending a STEM careers activities were over three times as likely to consider a career in engineering than those who had not. I'm committed to increasing the diversity and number of young people entering engineering careers. I'm very interested in participating in STEM outreach programs to encourage more young men and women to consider STEM careers."
Great engineers stay abreast of current trends and issues--even if they don't directly impact the work--and are able to think critically about them. With the rapid rate at which changes are taking place in the world today, engineering firms have to find ways to stay ahead in a very competitive global market. To run an engineering business smoothly involves a lot of challenges, including staff and skill shortages, lack of project managers, and technological advances.
