This article addresses the real-life challenges that engineering majors face in their studies and careers, and discusses how institutional support, expanded on-campus experiences, and the accumulation of successful career paths can help foster the growth of engineering talent.
In Korea, there is a medical school fever every year during the entrance exam season. At the same time, I feel sad when I see articles that show that engineering students are shunned. I thought it would be meaningful to write down the frustrations that engineering majors feel. I am also a person who does not adapt well to the given system. I’m always dissatisfied, always thinking there’s a better way, and always need to be convinced of why I should or shouldn’t do something before I do it.
I’d like to share some of my experiences from my brief stint at an engineering school. Of course, it was a very short period of time, and after much deliberation, I realized that it wasn’t for me, and I ended up changing my major. But even in that short period of time, I had many thoughts, especially about the difficulties that engineering majors face and their potential for development. In this article, I would like to share my thoughts on fostering excellent engineering talent and creating an environment where they can excel.
I believe that three conditions are necessary for students to feel attached and confident in their majors, and for engineering schools to grow healthily. First, there needs to be institutional support. Second, engineering students need interesting experiences in their university courses. Finally, we need to accumulate examples of successful engineering students entering the workforce.
First of all, we need institutional benefits that actually help current engineering students. For engineering students, programs such as scholarships and exemptions from military service are important tools to keep them focused on their studies. Scholarships are expanding and working well, but the military service program leaves something to be desired. Most of the best engineering students want to pursue a master’s degree and use their military service to pursue a career in a large company. In the process, they develop practical skills and dream of studying abroad for a PhD program and competing with global talent. However, since 2013, the military service program for large companies has been abolished, leaving science and engineering students with no choice but to serve in the military. This can lead to career interruptions and prevent engineering talents from realizing their full potential.
Second, the college experience is also an important issue. A large proportion of engineering students defer their military service and continue their studies, only to join the military after graduate school. However, unlike in other countries, Korea’s internship system often uses interns as cheap labor rather than gaining practical experience. In particular, the internship system favors military personnel, causing engineering students to give up their internships and worry about their future. This problem is one of the major factors that prevent engineering majors from fully utilizing their undergraduate years.
Third, we need to accumulate examples of engineering graduates successfully establishing themselves in society. We need examples of successful engineers who have gone on to become professors through a variety of paths other than the undergraduate and graduate programs. These examples can give hope to engineering students. For example, we need to show engineering students that there are many different paths to realizing their dreams, such as becoming a programmer and working in Silicon Valley at a high salary.
It’s also important to increase the number of competitions and project-based classes that engineering majors can participate in at universities. This will give undergraduates the opportunity to create real value and showcase their skills. It would be helpful for schools to think about how to motivate students and cultivate talent, and to create programs of the right level of difficulty.
In conclusion, there is great value in engineering, and with a little more support, it can create a much better model for life and industry. I hope these thoughts will help Korea grow into an engineering powerhouse.
