FROM CLASSROOM TO CORPORATE: THE CHANGING ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION IN ENGINEERING CAREERS

Abstract

Engineering profession require much more than just technical proficiency in the modern workplace. Communication has developed into a strategic professional talent that influences leadership potential, workplace performance, and employability. Despite this fact, technical training is still frequently given priority in engineering education, with professional communication playing a supporting role. As engineers move from classroom settings to corporate workplaces, this chapter explores the evolving importance of professional communication. It draws attention to the increasing demands of business, points out discrepancies between corporate realities and academic communication training, and suggests pedagogical approaches to match professional communication instruction with employability requirements. This chapter makes the case for an integrated, immersive, and practice-oriented approach to communication training in engineering education. It is based on English for Specific Purposes (ESP), communicative language teaching, and outcome-based education frameworks.