Assessment of professional competencies and mobility of engineers in Europe

This paper discusses an ongoing concern faced by employers in the engineering sector. Engineering education is faced with new challenges such as lack of student interest at university level, or loss of engineering graduates to other sectors. The impacts of globalisation in terms of movement of people and services, and high competitiveness of the 21st century mean that engineers are required to have a broader set of skills besides their engineering competencies. This poses obstacles in the area of continuing professional development (CPD) of practising engineers; expecially when competing for jobs on the European market. The lack of engineers with suitable skills has meant that even small and medium engineering enterprises are recruiting engineers from foreign markets. This research paper will help us understand how the system within the engineering institutions across Europe are aiming to facilitate mobility of professional engineers in the workforce. While considering the assessment of professional competencies, we aim to achieve more transparency within a system of custom and practice but also promote lifelong learning and performances in this area of research.