What S̶k̶i̶l̶l̶s̶, Do Engineering Graduates in Pakistan Lack When Compared to Others Around the Globe?

Before I start, I can't hold myself from telling you that during my teenage I loved to play football/soccer. We used to have matches at different venues with different teams, nerves were tested when facing new team at a new field. There's an intensive adrenaline rush from the beginning of the first faceoff when you see, the captain scouting the playing field and rival team to deploy relevant tactics, then leads the team during the match. His team keeps most of the possession by accurate passing allowing them to be more aggressive, hence taking them closer to the goal. Enabling them to take multiple shots, despite missing the target, it’s increasing their chances to score and in the final moment of the match before the referee below final whistle, a final assist is made by the captain to the striker. All of sudden, everything becomes slow. A moment arrives when silence takes over the audience. Except the blood rushing in veins flooded with adrenaline (heard and felt by every individual) and the striker takes a swinging shot aiming the top right corner, which initially seemed out of the target, the ball beating the keeper hits the top right crossbar and lands straight into the goal. Pardon me, for such irrelevant yet relatable content.

On my way back home, while in a hustle, I saw teenagers playing football and I felt nostalgic due to the similar flashbacks I saw in my mind. Well, life is so fast yet so slow, so complex yet so simple.

The engineering field is a highly competitive and dynamic field that requires engineers to have a wide range of skills. However, when compared to their counterparts around the globe, it seems that engineering graduates in Pakistan may be lacking in certain areas. In this article, we will explore some of the essential areas/ that engineering graduates in Pakistan may be lacking and how they can work to improve them.

Firstly, many engineering graduates in Pakistan lack strong communication skills. This can be a major deterrent when it comes to teaming with other professionals or presenting ideas to clients. Engineers need to work on articulating their ideas clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. To improve communication skills (passes), graduates can work on developing their public speaking skills by joining a debate or public speaking club, and improve their writing skills by reading more technical and non-technical books.

Second in line, is Leadership (captaincy), which engineering graduates in Pakistan may be lacking. Though engineers are not solely lacking this skill, unfortunately ,to me luckily, it's a dilemma for our nation as a whole. Engineers often find themselves in management roles, and it is crucial that they can lead teams effectively. Leadership skills involve the ability to motivate, delegate, and make sound decisions, and with it comes great responsibility too. Graduates can work on developing these skills by taking on leadership roles in extracurricular activities or volunteering to lead projects at work. Here is my piece of advice for those young one:, never be afraid of criticism or failure these are medals (Lessons learned) that also allow you to test your nerves and trust your guts.

Moving on to innovation and creativity, which seems to be lacking and why shall it not be the case? if it wasn't, our Nation would not have been on the consumer end. Engineers need to be able to think outside the box and come up with new and innovative solutions to problems. They can develop these skills by taking classes in design thinking, participating in Expos (hackathons), or by starting their own projects. But still, to some, their mind creates an illusion and affiliate these wearable skills with talent. Well, that's a lame excuse fed by your brain, as not only these skills can be learned but improved to an immeasurable extent solely by contesting stereotypes such as the status quo, the old practices, and rat races? now hopping over to the other half of the truth as it is only achievable by a philanthropic mindset fueled up by intrinsic motivation. Having said that, I will try to contest another arrogant mindset, that feels proud of having a skill called "jugaad" i.e Improvisation. That was once a sole skill that our forefathers learned and improved solely due to limited resources. In the current era, improvisation is not a dependable skill, anymore. If you are an engineer you must practice innovation, creativity, and improvisation along with multiple other skills, in a nutshell, engineering solution (dribbling)

Finally, engineering graduates in Pakistan mostly lacks in the area of Project Management. Engineers are often responsible for managing projects from start to finish, and they must have the skills to do so effectively. Project management skills include planning, budgeting, and managing timelines and resources. Graduates can improve these skills by taking classes in project management (football game) or by volunteering to lead projects at work. I would have written here a lot but saved my thoughts for an important article where they have more impact. So, being concise, consider project management as of a lifestyle.

Before moving to the end, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, and all other Engineers will be thinking about when will those mugged-up formulae, theories, etc… will be brought under my consideration? The answer to your question lies within a lesson that I learned and will share with you to clear away this fallacy, and I regret I didn't know it during my graduation days. However, Engineering solution to engineer is what dribbling is to a footballer similarly, theory to engineer is what tactics to a footballer. I hope you got it or not. If still not? Conceptualization (scouting) was the main art we should have learned. I copped up with conceptualization through analogy, it saves a lot of calories.

In conclusion, it's crucial for engineering graduates in Pakistan to remain aware of and continuously update their theoretical knowledge. This awareness is vital because they might find themselves lacking or falling short when compared to their global counterparts, primarily due to limited resources. There's also some reassuring news – globally, almost all engineers have areas where their skills are lacking, as perfection remains elusive.

Therefore, for every project (similar to a football game), it's imperative to adopt a scouting mindset, akin to conceptualization, just like a captain entering the game field. Unconsciously, the brain begins to formulate plans. Subsequently, proceed with the project by implementing relevant theories, showcasing engineering solutions, and employing effective communication. This approach will propel you towards achieving your objectives, and you'll inevitably face critical decisions – analogous to taking a shot – decisions that can be either right or wrong.

Much like a game, there are outcomes of victory or defeat, and this game continues as long as you're alive. Consequently, never believe it's too late or that you're trailing behind others – instead, take immediate action. And here's a reminder: while engineers excel as brilliant problem-solvers, graduates from other fields are the imaginative creators – they dream it up, and we make it work! So, let's keep crafting those solutions and turning dreams into reality, because ultimately, this team comprising subordinates, organizations, country, or the world will commend you for your adeptness in resolving their issues. After all, that's precisely the role of engineers: to bring forth solutions to problems.