The Role of Soft Skills in Engineering Education.

The rapid but uneven education development worldwide is creating many challenges. Changing conditions and rules in engineering fields such as programming, automation, and electronics are not always followed by changes in education. Employers expect potential candidates to be current with the latest domain competencies and soft skills. The idea is to hire candidates with both knowledge (theoretical and practical) and experience in reflection and collaboration skills. Universities can not always keep up with the development of technology and the adaptation of curricula because change happens so quickly. Therefore, upgrades are needed in engineering education. Focusing education solely on measurable knowledge and results is a simple but often insufficient approach to presenting the entire curriculum within the time frame of a course. Our study of about 150 engineering students in Poland and Norway included the role of students' experiences in hands-on activities, especially labs. The research aimed to determine what students expect, what influences their results, and what complications may arise. The study results show that students often struggle with time management, prioritizing, and understanding practical tasks. In addition, there is a difference between students with and without practical work experience. Our research showed that both groups of students did not achieve all their intended educational goals for various reasons. Therefore, adapting the current teaching system to the student's needs and requirements is important.