Practitioner engineers perceptions for a successful early employment career

The aim of this research is to examine the transition of Lebanese engineering students from collegiate life to working professional as a case study in the Middle East region. Practicing engineers (n=217) graduated from universities in Lebanon and working domestically and abroad in different social and multicultural settings were surveyed. The survey identified their current employment and their attitudes toward their academic preparation level. The results showed that locating a job is not a major concern for graduates due to the high demand of engineers in the prosperous Arabic Gulf States. However, novice engineers confront critical issues during the transition process. While Internships and graduation projects appear to be essentially helpful for participants, it was observed the lacking role of career centers in such critical stage. An Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed three main challenges facing engineering graduates: communication, responsibility, and self-confidence. Participants´ answers to open-ended questions suggest a strong need for collaboration between the engineering industries and the academic institutions to facilitate a smoother transition.