CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE

JOHN PAUL COLLEGE

CASE STUDY

KEY MANAGEMENT SKILLS FOR INTEGRAL CIVIL

ENGINEERING EDUCATION

PREPARED BY:

GADON, CRIZSEL ANN I.

SUBMITTED TO:

ENGR. MARIANNE S. MENDEJA

DATE: MARCH 10, 2024

CASE STUDY

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Key Management Skills for Integral Civil Engineering Education

Article in International Journal of Engineering Pedagogy (iJEP) · January 2021
DOI: 10.3991/ijep.v11i1.15259

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Miguel Á. Góme
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Felipe Muñoz La Rivera

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Key Management Skills for Integral Civil Engineering

Education
[Link]

Miguel A. Gómez ( ), Rodrigo F. Herrera, Edison Atencio, Felipe C. Muñoz-La Rivera

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
[Link].f@[Link]

Abstract—Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry requires

many interactions between professionals in different areas. Thus, project managers
in the AEC industry should have a set of management-aligned skills. International
agreements and accreditation boards state the expected skills for engineering
graduates, but they usually overrate technical skills. This study aims to identify the
most relevant skills in management for civil engineer's education. To achieve this, a
literature review was carried out, and a list of 129 competencies was obtained. This
list was summarized in 34 competencies, and his importance level was evaluated
using a web-based survey, targeted to Chilean project managers and civil
 engineers. The collected skills were classified in management, technical and soft
skills. According to respondents, the 34 skills described in this paper are important for the
exercise of the profession. However, the most important skills in relative terms are
soft skills, then management, and finally, technical skills.

Keywords—AEC industry, civil engineering education, competencies, management

skills

1 Introduction

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is

characterized for its fragmentation into many fields of specialization, each one of
which takes part in the different phases of the product lifecycle [1], [2]. Even
though this fragmentation leads to higher levels of professional expertise in
every area, and improves the local performances, the increase of parts in which
the project is divided creates more and more complex interactions between the
professionals [3]. Thus, to improve the global performance, high levels of
collaboration and interactions get necessary, in order to achieve a better
understanding between every area.
Weak interactions between workgroup members can lead to deficient
performance levels, both in every project phase (design, construction,
maintenance, operation, deconstruction) and at the global level in the product
lifecycle [4]. Poor performance is caused by the realization of non-value-adding
activities, which generate waste to the project (reworks, waiting times, among
others) [5], and affect the entire project productivity [6]. Therefore, project
managers and planners should have a set of essential management-aligned
competencies [7] that allows them to maximize the product/service value
generated by their projects through a systematic waste reduction [6].
Management skills and competencies are highly recommended by the main
international accords in the engineering education context and demanded by the
main accreditation boards. To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of
management, decision making, project leadership, interdisciplinary work,
effective communication, and contextual empathy concepts allow the graduates
to insert and participate in their projects actively [8]. Within the Accreditation
Board for Engineering and Technology criteria is stated that graduates should
have a global vision of the engineering problems, considering technical, cultural,
social, economic, safety, and wellness aspects; the capability to communicate
effectively, recognize their ethical responsibilities, work as effective team
members in collaborative and inclusive environments; and high self-
management abilities [9]. The criteria and guidelines of the European Network
for Accreditation of Engineering Education state as teaching areas for
engineering, non-technical evaluation aspects, applicable to the analyses and
designs in engineering, and the necessary knowledge in economic,
organizational, management, communication, and teamwork issues [10].
 In this context, there is an increasing offer of management training for
engineers from higher education institutions. These programs seek to strengthen
the capabilities and skills associated with project management in its many
edges, covering the demand of the companies for integral professionals [11].
As stated above, there is a large volume of competencies aligned with project
management; however, there is no study that seeks to prioritize the
competencies that should be developed in civil engineering degree programs.
Indeed, many of the research carried out to state the skills and competencies
that are fundamental for civil engineers, is focused in identifying the differences
between the accreditation institutions criteria for the science and technology
programs all over the world, and recognize if they are appropriate for the
requirements of the 21st-century engineering [12]–[17]. The most cited
accreditation institutions and boards, namely ABET, Accreditation Agency for
Degree Programmes in Engineering, Informatics, Natural Sciences and
Mathematics (ASIIN), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the
European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE), and
Engineers Australia, have very similar criteria [16], in particular, those related to
the student outcomes. However, they are quite generic, as they have to apply to
many engineering areas. Skills like “the ability to function in multidisciplinary
teams” (ABET), “communicate effectively” (ABET), “organize and evaluate
concepts and planning procedures […]” (ASIIN), “develop concepts in team […]”
(ASIIN) and “to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of engineering
management principles, and economic decision-making […]” (Engineers
Australia), are some examples of management-aligned competencies, present in
the student-outcomes criteria of some of the mentioned accreditation boards and
institutions, for engineering programs.
Nevertheless, some researchers have observed the accreditation institutions
trend to overrate the technical competencies in detriment of the others, setting
the focus in the contents, and not in the thought process that has to be carried
out by an engineer [18]– [20]. This can be detrimental to students, who end up
their studies with a large set of technical skills but lacking management and key
transferable skills, which are essential to their professional development and
labor insertion [21]. For this reason, identifying the most valued-by-employer
skills and competencies has become a main issue, also considering the
increasing demand for non-technical or behavioral skills like oral or written
communication.
In this context, this study aims to determine which are the main management
skills that civil engineers should have, and how they can be classified, according
to recent literature. Also, we seek to evaluate what are the competencies that
should be prioritized in the formation of engineers, according to experts and
practitioners of engineering management.
2 Research Method

The present study is divided into three steps, as summarized in Figure 1. In

the first step, a literature review was carried out to gather a list of skills and
competencies required for project management civil engineers. The search was
mainly concentrated, but not exclusively made in review papers (Web of Science
and Scopus libraries), accreditation and other engineering education boards and
committees, and main conference proceedings between 2004 and 2019. The
search topics were: “engineering education”, “competencies and skills in civil
engineering”, “engineering management skills”, and “student outcomes for
accreditation criteria”. As a second step, the authors made a categorization and
condensation of the list of skills and competencies. The categories in which the
competencies are divided is also defined according to the literature review. The
third step consists of the design, planning, and implementation of a survey,
where practitioners civil engineers in Chile answered the level of importance of
each condensed skill. The results of the survey are latter analyzed using the
Relative Importance Index, as defined by [22].
STAGE RESEARCH TOOLS ACTIVITIES OUTCOMES

Search for competences in papers (Scopus +

(1) WoS), conference proceedings,
Gathering of Literature review accreditation boards (ABET, ASIIN, ASCE, List of competences (uncategorized)
competences Eng. Australia), and specialized documents/
institutions (Washington Accord, PMBOK)

(2) Literature Review Condensation and categorization of

Reduced list of competences, written
Condensation of competences, written according to
as action + context
competences Expert Judgement specialized education literature

Design and conduct a survey to assess the

(3) importance of the condensed competences
Competences Survey
between project management practitioners Prioritization of condensed
prioritization in Chile competences, and of groups of
Relative Importance Calculation of the RII to assess the relative competences
Index importance between the competences

Fig. 1. Research method.

All the collected competencies can be grouped in the defined categories,
which results in a 16.81% of management skills (MS), 40.71% of technical skills
(TS) and 42.48% of soft skills (SS). As expected, it can be observed a very high
conceptual similitude between some of the competencies retrieved. Then, by
expert judgment, a reduction process was carried out, consisting of grouping the
similar competencies in just one. According to [23], an effective competence
needs three parts:
1) A verb that describes an observable action
2) A context in which the action is to be carried out
3) The acceptable performance levels

Since it is not the intention of this study to provide a scale to evaluate

students, the performance level is not included, so the competencies only
consist of the action and the context.
 Then, from 129 skills, the list was reduced to 34. After the grouping of similar
competencies and dividing them into the three defined categories, the
distribution results in a 23.53% of management skills (MS), 35.29% of technical
skills (TS), and 41.48% of soft skills (SS). Tables 1 to 3 present the
management, technical, and soft skills and competencies, respectively, and the
corresponding references.

2.1 Management skills (MS)

As stated above, management skills include all the non-technical skills directly
related to the project management context. For example, “to delegate authority”,
“group creation and administration”, “human resources management”,
“understanding the role in a group”, are all individual skills related to the
competence MS8 in Table 1: “Plans, organizes and directs the efforts of one or
more work teams”. Also, contextual knowledge of the project is included in this
category, with competencies MS6 and MS7. MS6 involves the knowledge of the
local population and a wide range of stakeholders’ commitments. In MS7, are
grouped skills like: “Project orientation”, “project knowledge”, “to know how the
project success is measured” and “to know the available resources”.
Knowledge about business and public administration (MS3), procurement and
contract (MS2), forms and documents (MS4), problem-solving (MS5), and
sustainable processes (MS1) are also non-technical skills and competencies that
are closely related to project management and then included in this category.

Table 1. Organizational and management skills

Type Code Competence References
Understand and applies the principles of
MS1 [8], [16], [24], [25]
sustainable design in his/her professional practice
Possesses and applies up-to-date procurement
MS2 and contract knowledge in the preparation of the [15], [24], [26], [27]
project technical documents
Knows and applies business and public [8], [16], [25], [26],
MS3 administration concepts and processes in project [28], [29]
planning and control
Knows the appropriate forms and documents to
Organizational MS4 [24], [26], [28]
incorporate into the planning of a project
and Management
Is capable to identify and analyze problems, and [8], [15], [16], [24],
Skills
MS5 the roots of a problem, to design and implement a [26]
solution
Is skillful in identifying the commitments of a wide [8], [20], [24], [26],
MS6 range of stakeholders in the development of a [28]
project
Understands the objectives, limitations, and scope
MS7 [24], [26], [27], [29]
of a project in a global context
Plans, organizes and directs the efforts of one or [8], [15], [20], [24],
MS8
more work teams [26]–[29]
2.2 Technical skills

In this category are included the competencies related to the theoretical

framework of the project manager. As a consequence of this definition, all of the
skills here mentioned can be trained in traditional expositive classes. As an
example, TS12 “Understand project management methods, processes and
procedures”, includes knowledge in standard up-to-date management
processes, the project management context, and organizational structures. The
other competencies cover knowledge in: execution of experiments to processes
improvement (TS1), math and basic sciences (TS2), processes and engineering
design (TS3), PMBOK 10 areas (TS4), foreign language (TS5), special discipline
techniques (TS6), use of technologies and computer software (TS7), quality
standards and norms (TS8), new techniques and tools (TS9), tools for
performance assessment of projects (TS10), and multidisciplinary approach to
engineering (TS11).

Table 2. Technical skills

Type Code Competence References
Designs, executes and interprets experiments that allow [8], [9], [16], [25],
TS1 him/her to apply the results in the improvement of [28], [29]
processes
Selects and applies knowledge and techniques of physical [8], [9], [15], [16],
TS2
sciences and mathematics in engineering problem solving [20], [25], [28], [29]
Design systems, components or processes to solve [8], [9], [15], [16],
TS3
Technical engineering problems [20], [25], [28]
Skills Understand the processes and techniques of the ten areas
TS4 [8], [24], [26], [27]
of project management knowledge (PMBOK)
Speaks and understands more than one language, in a
TS5 [16]
technical context
Selects and applies the appropriate knowledge and [8], [15], [16], [24],
TS6 techniques of his/her discipline in engineering problem [25], [29]
solving
Type Code Competence References
Knows and applies available computer technologies for [8], [15], [16], [24],
TS7
planning and project management [26]
[8], [16], [24], [27]–
TS8 Knows the quality standards and norms to work on
[29]
He/She quickly adapts to the new tools available for the
TS9 [9], [24], [25]
exercise of his/her profession
He/She can analyze the performance of a project in a
TS10 [15], [16], [28]
systematic and judicious way
He/She possesses a multidisciplinary knowledge that [8], [9], [16], [28],
TS11
allows him/her to understand the project as a whole [29]
Understand project management methods, processes, and
TS12 [24], [26], [29]
procedures
2.3 Soft skills

This category includes the behavioral component expected from a project

management engineer. Local context knowledge (SS1), professional attitudes
(SS2), social awareness (SS3), long-life learning (SS4), improvisation (SS5),
confidence (SS6), feedback provision and receiving (SS7), decision-making
(SS8), adequate contact for requirements (SS9), negotiation (SS10), proactivity
and creativity (SS11), team working (SS12), ethical behavior (SS13) and
effective communication (SS14) are the concepts that resume the condensed
soft skills gathered from the literature review. These competencies are detailed
in Table 3, with their corresponding references.

Table 3. Soft Skills

Type Code Competence References
He/She is constantly updated to the local context throw [9], [15], [16], [24],
SS1
newspapers, social networks, etc. [27]
Recognizes and demonstrates attitudes that contribute to the
SS2 [15], [25]–[28]
practice of his/her profession
Recognizes the impacts of engineering solutions in a social [8], [15], [16], [24],
SS3
and global context [26], [28]
Recognizes the importance of continuous self-directed [8], [9], [15], [16],
SS4
professional development, according to his/her needing [26], [28], [29]
He/She can intuit and improvise a quick solution to project
SS5 [15], [24], [26]
management related problems
Soft Acts with confidence in the face of ambiguity, changes and [15], [24], [26],
SS6
Skills adverse situations that may arise in the directions of a project [27]
Accepts and provides feedback in a constructive and
SS7 [15], [16], [26]
considered manner
Makes decisions with confidence and prior knowledge of the
SS8 [8], [15], [24], [26]
consequences when required
SS9 Know who to contact in case of a question or requirement [24], [26]
SS10 Possesses negotiation skills for conflict resolution [15], [24], [26]
[8], [9], [15], [16],
SS11 He/She is proactive, creative and innovative in problem solving
[24]–[26]
[8], [9], [15], [16],
SS12 Works effectively as a member or leader of a technical team
[24]–[29]
Type Code Competence References
Understands and undertakes to act ethically, responsibly and [8], [9], [15], [16],
SS13 respectfully in the personal, social, cultural and professional [24]–[26], [29]
contexts
Communicates effectively and confidently both orally and in [8], [9], [15], [16],
SS14 writing, in technical and non-technical environments [20], [24]–[27],
[29]
3. Survey: Relative Importance of Management / Technical / Soft Skills

To define the most important skills and competencies, it was designed and
conducted a web-based survey, in which the respondents (project managers and
Civil Engineers practitioners), had to select an absolute importance level for
every competency in a Likert scale format ranging from 1 to 5, where 1
represents null importance, and 5 represents that the competence is imperative.
To avoid respondents bias, the competencies were not grouped in the survey,
but it was only given a list of the 34 written competencies.
A total of 104 complete surveys were fully answered. Background information
about respondents of the survey is presented in Table 4. Most of the
respondents have more than ten years of experience (41.35%). Additionally,
75.0% of the respondents are male, and 25.0% are female.

Table 4. Survey background information

Respondents experience
Gender (Years)
0 to 2 2 to 5 5 to 10 10 + Total
Male 12 15 16 35 78 (75.0%)
Female 7 6 5 8 26 (25.0%)
Total 19 (18.27%) 21 (20.19%) 21 (20.19%) 43 (41.35%) 104 (100%)

Relative importance index (RII) analysis was selected in this study to rank the
criteria according to their relative importance [22]. Equation 1 is used to
determine the relative index:

𝑅𝐼𝐼 = ∑ 𝑤 (1)
𝐴×𝑁

Where 𝑤 is the assigned weighting by each respondent (1 to 5), 𝐴 is the

highest weighting possible (5), and 𝑁 is the total number of the sample (104).
The RII was calculated for all of the 34 competencies. Figures 2,3 and 4 show
the relative importance index (RII) for all the surveyed competencies, divided into
the three already defined categories, management skills (MS), technical skills
(TS), and soft skills (SS), respectively.
MS1
MS2 Management S kill s
MS3
MS4
MS5
MS6
MS7
MS8
0.70 0.75 0.80 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00
Fig. 2. Relative importance index obtained for management skills
 TS1
TS2 T echnical S kill s
TS3
TS4
TS5
TS6
TS7
TS8
TS9
TS10
TS11
TS12
0.70 0.75 0.80 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00

Fig. 3. Relative importance index obtained for technical skills

SS1
SS2 S oft S kill s
SS3
SS4
SS5
SS6
SS7
SS8
SS9
SS10
SS11
SS12
SS13
SS14
0.70 0.75 0.80 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00
Fig. 4. Relative importance index obtained for soft skills

4. Discussion
Within the management skills (Figure 2), the most important are those related
to the organization of teams, project management, commitment management,
and problem solving. These competencies are undoubtedly key in day-to-day
civil engineering, and it is consistent with other authors [27], [30]. On the other
hand, competencies associated with administrative procedures and processes
have a lower RII, since these are more specific to each organization, therefore,
what is required is that the professional can quickly learn the procedures of the
organization. The main cause of attention is that the competency with the lowest
RII is aligned with the application of sustainability principles. This is worrying in a
global world where sustainability has to be a fundamental element in the
development of engineering.
Among the most important technical skills (Figure 3) are understanding project
management methods, multidisciplinary knowledge, performance analysis, and
learning new tools and technologies. Once again, there are elements associated
with interaction with different professionals, and the capacity for self-learning,
elements that are very important in a globalized and fast-moving world. The
competencies with a lower RII are those that respond to specific topics of
engineering areas, so it is understood that they are not so important for the
sample of professionals who answered the survey.
The competencies of the soft skills category are those that have the highest RII
compared to the other categories. Within this category, those associated with
effective communication, ethical and respectful behavior with the environment,
leadership, and proactivity stand out. Interestingly, the competency related to
respect society and the environment has one of the highest RIIs while applying a
sustainable design has one of the lowest. This may be since the principles of
sustainability are still at a strategic level that has not been able to decant what
an operational design is. Therefore, the importance of sustainable development
is highly valued at the conceptual level but has yet to be implemented in
practice. This may change as sustainability concepts are added to programs for
new students. Regarding this issue, in [31] is demonstrated how a project based
approach can develop management skills while raising awareness of
sustainability concepts in the early stages of an engineering course.
The results indicate that all of the surveyed competencies have a high relative
importance index, beyond 0.7. Then, all of the presented plots were scaled to
start the abscise axis in 0.7 to emphasize the differences. As it can be observed,
100% of the competencies have a relative importance index beyond 0.7. Figure
5 shows the percentage of skills by category that has an RII greater than 0.7,
0.8, and 0.9, respectively. The amount of soft skills (SS) with a relative
importance index greater than 0.8 and 0.9 is greater than the number of
technical and management skills that meet the same requirement. Also, this
same behavior makes management skills prevail over technical. This trend
highlights the fact that soft skills are seen as the key skills to develop
management and technical expertise, and also that they are the most difficult-to-
train group of competencies, which is consistent with the accreditation
institutions trend to overestimates technical over behavioral skills. Thus, efforts
have been concentrated over the past years into form engineers to develop
technical skills, neglecting the soft ones.

100%
93%
75%
58%
50%

25%

0%
>0.7 >0.8 >0.9
RII

MS TS SS
Fig. 5. Percentage of skills over an RII by category
 If a cutoff is taken in the RII of 0.9, there is no technical skill whit such relative
importance. The most important technical skills are the understanding of project
management methods (TS12), and the multidisciplinary knowledge (TS11), both
with an RII of 0.899. Then, employers seek professionals with a multidisciplinary
approach to civil engineering, capable of using existent project management
methods to coordinate the team efforts. This role is more evident, considering
the management skills with an RII greater than 0.9. Indeed, to plan and organize
the efforts of a team (MS8) is the most important of this group, with an RII of
0.918, and is clearly related to multidisciplinary teamwork, closely followed by
the contextual knowledge of the project (MS7), with an RII of 0.916.
From the soft skills, a larger number of competencies have an RII greater than
0.9 than for the other categories. The most important skills of this group, and
their corresponding RIIs are: Decision making (SS8), 0.900; consulting (SS9)
0.904; negotiation for conflict resolution (SS10), 0.908; proactivity and innovation
(SS11), 0.908; effective teamwork (SS12), 0.915; ethical behavior (SS13), 0.926;
and effective communication (SS14), 0.940. Again, these skills are related to
teamwork and multidisciplinary problem solving, except for SS13, which is most
concerns a value system, and the emotional intelligence of the engineer. Why is
it so important to behave ethically, for the success of a project? This is currently
a subject of study. A recent study performed in Pakistan shows that general
fairness, quality of the treatment, and ethical behavior can reduce the
contractors’ potential to claims [32]. There is evidence that even students see
professional ethics as a key factor in their future professional development, and
that it should be included in their engineering courses [33]. Even though ethics is
seen as a key competence, there is not yet much interest in investigating its
effects, both in the construction industry and in other productive activities [34].

5. Conclusion
There were 129 competencies/skills aligned with the management that civil
engineers are required to hold. This list of 129 can be reduced to 34
competencies that managed to classify in three groups: Management skills,
technical skills, soft skills. According to civil engineering practitioners, the 34
skills described in this paper are important for the exercise of the profession,
being the range of RII in all cases greater than 0.7. However, the most important
group of skills in relative terms is soft skills, then management, and finally,
technical skills. This can be attributed to the fact that soft skills are the engine of
change to develop management and technical skills, being the most important
TS and MS-related also to teamwork and multidisciplinary problem-solving.
Indeed, among the most important skills are effective communication, team
leadership and multi-disciplinary interaction, proactivity and self-learning, and the
use of project management tools, which can be seen as the key skills required of
a project management engineer today. To act ethically in the professional
environment is also a very valuable skill, and can help to improve the project
performance, but still more research is being necessary to clearly assess and
understand the effects of ethics in the AEC industry.
 This study allows civil engineering academics to prioritize the competencies
that are key to the development of civil engineering students and empirically
demonstrate that soft skills are a necessity of the professional world. The results
presented herein
As mentioned in the research methodology, the survey was answered by 104
practitioners, all from Chile. This corresponds to a limitation of this study, so the
new stages of this work consist of
1) Internationalize the survey, also seeking to increase the sample, and
2) Analyze other possibilities of questions in the survey, to make more visible the
differences in prioritization.

6 . Acknowledgement
This research is funded by Project CORFO 14ENI2-26905 Ingeniería 2030-
PUCV and housed in the Collaborative Group of Engineering Education of the
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso. The doctoral studies of R. Herrera
are financed by CONICYT-PCHA/National Doctorate/2018 - 21180884. Muñoz's
doctoral studies are financed by CONICYT-PCHA/International Doctorate/2019 –
72200300. The doctoral studies of E. Atencio are financed by the Pontificia
Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.

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8 Authors
Miguel A. Gómez is a Civil Engineer and Bachelor of Science Engineering from
the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. He is a researcher and
professor at the School of Civil Engineering at the Pontificia Universidad Católica
de Valparaíso, Chile. His current research is Structural Engineering and
Engineering Education.
Rodrigo F. Herrera is a Civil Engineer and Bachelor of Science Engineering
from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and has a Master’s in
project management at the University of Viña del Mar. He is currently a Ph.D.
candidate in Engineering Sciences at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de
Chile and Universitat Politécnica de Valencia. He is currently professor of the
courses “Planning and Project Control”, “Project Management”, and “Lean
Project Management” at the School of Civil Engineering at the Pontificia
Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile. His current research is AEC
Technologies, Lean Project Management, and Engineering Education.
Edison Atencio is a Civil Engineer and Bachelor of Science Engineering from
the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and has a Master’s in Industrial
Engineering and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Industrial Engineering at the
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. He is currently professor courses
“Applied Computer Science”, “Planning and Project Control” and “Preparation
and Project Evaluation” at the School of Civil Engineering at the Pontificia
Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile. His current research is AEC
Technologies, Project Management, and Engineering Education.
Felipe C. Muñoz-La Rivera is Civil Engineer a Bachelor of Science Engineering
from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and Master in BIM
Management and Ph.D. candidate in Civil Engineering at Universitat Politécanica
de Catalunya. His current research is AEC Technologies, Building Information
Modeling (BIM), Project Management, and Engineering Education.
Article submitted 2020-04-27. Resubmitted 2020-06-19. Final acceptance 2020-06-24. Final version published as submitted by the
authors.
MY OPINION
In my opinion, according to Miguel A. Gomez, Rodrigo F. Herrera, Edison Atencio, and
Felipe C. Muños-La Rivera's book Key Management Skills for Integral Civil Engineering
Education, architecture, engineering, and construction, or AEC, is a multidisciplinary field that
aims to improve global performance. They add that incorrect or bad teamwork might result in
unfavorable outcomes or performances. Low performance is also a result of including
operations that are not as important, such as ongoing projects. For the services to function
properly, employers must thus have adequate and efficient management. A degree and passing
the board test are insufficient; experience and abilities are still required in the industry since they
are factors that are taken into consideration by management in addition to the degree. Owing to
stringent organizational requirements, staff members or certified engineers must be able to
recognize issues and offer workable solutions. It is incorrect to compare a student who is adept
at addressing problems with one who lacks interpersonal communication abilities. as having
strong interpersonal skills is crucial for our line of work.
This literature divides competences into three categories: soft skills, technical abilities, and
management skills. Project knowledge and group coordination are key components of
management abilities in managing an ongoing project. Conversely, technical skills are centered
around a thorough comprehension of the context. Last but not least, soft skills refer to the
conduct or mindset that an engineer should exhibit. These include upholding a professional
manner, having self-assurance, effectively expressing one's thoughts, and many more. Soft
skills were found to be more prevalent in the evaluation than technical and management
abilities, with management skills predicted to become more and more important in the years to
come. However, in comparison to technical talents, particularly soft skills, it only received little or
poor marks. As per the four writers, this is worrying for the whole world, as there are few
opportunities to further the professional growth of upcoming engineers. Technical skills are also
important; they scored quite well but did not outperform or even come close to matching the
importance of soft skills. This involves the capacity to comprehend issues and find solutions,
carry out projects successfully, and always acquire new information. It also highlights how
important self-learning is in light of the world's rapid changes. In comparison to the two previous
skills, the last, or more accurately, the most important soft skill, is having a polite and courteous
manner, respecting society and the environment, being a good leader, and possessing many
other qualities that are crucial for managing and meeting technical skills as well as the high
standards that companies set. As though Companies value management skills, and we can help
incoming civil engineering students acquire these abilities by emphasizing the value of
management. That being said, hiring preferences are shifting in the modern era, with employers
favoring candidates with a background in field work, discipline, and knowledge. There may be
negative effects if managerial abilities are undervalued in any sector, including civil engineering.
Managing teams, keeping projects under control, and guaranteeing smooth work flow all
depend heavily on management abilities. Reduced emphasis on these abilities might cause
problems with project execution, teamwork, and overall success. Devaluing effective
management might have an effect on the effectiveness and caliber of civil engineering projects
as it is frequently regarded as the cornerstone of successful project completion. A competent
and well-rounded civil engineering practitioner is often thought to have a balance between
technical competence and managerial abilities.
 Effective leadership, problem-solving, communication, and project management abilities are
crucial for guaranteeing that projects are finished on schedule, to the highest possible standards
of quality, and within budget. A variety of critical managerial abilities are necessary for civil
engineers to be successful in this demanding field. The successful completion of projects and
the prompt and efficient resolution of any problems that may occur depend heavily on one's
ability to solve problems. They must have the capacity to encourage and inspire their team
members, assign work efficiently, and settle disputes in a respectful and amicable way. Strong
problem-solving abilities are essential for civil engineers to handle the various obstacles that
may come up throughout a project. The ability to foresee future difficulties and create backup
plans in order to handle them is essential for civil engineers. This entails dividing large projects
into smaller, more doable jobs and establishing reasonable budgets and deadlines. Effective
communication with team members, clients, and stakeholders is one of the most crucial
management abilities for civil engineers. Civil engineers need to be able to listen to people and
accept feedback well, as well as convey difficult technical knowledge in a way that non-technical
stakeholders can understand. For a project to be successful, all parties involved must
understand their roles and responsibilities. This requires clear and concise communication. Civil
engineers also need to have a variety of critical management skills that will help them plan
efficiently. For those in leadership roles to effectively lead and mentor their teams toward
accomplishing corporate goals, management skills are a must. of the most crucial managerial
abilities in terms of communication. Together with other stakeholders in the company, managers
also need to be able to interact with their team members in an understandable and efficient
manner. Managers must communicate effectively in order to set expectations, give constructive
criticism, and settle disputes among their teams. A healthy work environment requires positive
connections and trust, both of which may be fostered by having effective communication skills.
Among managerial skills, communication skills are the most crucial. In order to plan, organize,
lead, and oversee their teams in a way that optimizes output and efficiency, managers need a
broad variety of talents.
Weighing the benefits and drawbacks of many alternatives, taking potential risks into
account, and deciding what is best for the business are all components of good decision-making
abilities. Managers are frequently called upon to make crucial decisions that might have a big
influence on the company. As such, they must be able to examine data, weigh possibilities, and
make well-informed judgments that support the organization's goals and objectives. Making
decisions is yet another kind of management abilities. Effective task delegation, team member
empowerment, and the development of a collaborative and innovative work environment are all
attributes of good leaders. They lead by example, offer direction and support, and establish a
clear goal and plan for the group. Successful leaders encourage and inspire their groups to
reach their greatest potential. Setting priorities, assigning responsibilities to others, and utilizing
time-saving strategies are all components of effective time management. Supervisors need to
be able to balance a variety of duties, adhere to deadlines, and make sure that projects are
finished on schedule and within budget. Setting objectives, prioritizing work, and efficiently
managing one's time are all made possible by good time management. Managers may
become successful leaders who inspire and encourage their teams to success by developing
and refining these talents. Analogously, a structurally-trained engineer can come up with
creative ways to make infrastructure and buildings more stable and safe. Successful leaders
encourage and inspire their groups to reach their greatest potential. Setting priorities, assigning
responsibilities to others, and utilizing time-saving strategies are all components of effective
time management. Supervisors need to be able to balance a variety of duties, adhere to
deadlines, and make sure that projects are finished on schedule and within budget. Setting
objectives, prioritizing work, and efficiently managing one's time are all made possible by good
time management. Managers may become successful leaders who inspire and encourage their
teams to success by developing and refining these talents. Analogously, a structurally-trained
engineer can come up with creative ways to make infrastructure and buildings more stable and
safe. Therefore, in order to succeed in the competitive job market of today, people must place a
high priority on acquiring and improving their technical abilities. People who put in the time and
effort to advance their technical abilities might profit from more career possibilities, greater
incomes, and overall professional development. Technical proficiency is essential in the current
digital era. Technical proficiency can open doors to a rewarding and successful profession.
Whether in the domain of engineering, data science, information technology, or any other
technological sector.
Soft talents are as vital for making connections, talking clearly, and cooperating with people
as hard skills and knowledge are for completing certain jobs. These abilities, which are also
known as interpersonal or people skills, are crucial for success in the cutthroat job market of
today. A person's ability to communicate successfully with people in a variety of social and
professional contexts is referred to as their soft skills. Active listening, empathy, and the
capacity to recognize and address the needs and concerns of others are further components of
effective communication. The capacity to communicate with people in a clear and efficient
manner is one of the most important soft skills. For the purpose of exchanging information,
expressing ideas, and professionally settling issues, one must possess strong communication
skills. Building trust, encouraging cooperation, and establishing a pleasant work atmosphere all
depend on having strong teamwork abilities. Teamwork, or the capacity to cooperate with others
to achieve a common objective, is another crucial soft talent. Effective communication, idea
sharing, and mutual support in reaching goals are all necessary for teamwork. Another essential
soft talent is adaptability, which is the capacity to change with the times and take on new tasks.
To thrive in the fast-paced, continuously-evolving workplace of today, people must be
adaptable, receptive to new ideas, and eager to pick up new skills. Forging relationships of trust,
encouraging teamwork, and propelling organizational achievement all require strong leadership
abilities. A clear vision must be communicated, responsibilities must be assigned, and team
members must get direction and support from effective leaders. Another crucial soft talent is
leadership, which is the capacity to uplift, encourage, and direct others toward the
accomplishment of shared objectives. Through the cultivation and improvement of these
fundamental soft skills, people may improve their efficacy, build solid relationships, and prosper
in the fast-paced and demanding work world of today. Soft skills are crucial for success in the
cutthroat job market of today.
While knowledge and technical proficiency are vital, soft skills like leadership, cooperation,
communication, and flexibility are just as vital for fostering relationships, cooperating with
others, and succeeding in the workplace.
For many facets of professional success, soft skills, technical abilities, and management
skills are all crucial. The talents and abilities needed to efficiently plan, organize, coordinate,
and govern resources inside an organization are referred to as management skills. the capacity
to motivate and lead a group of people toward success. the ability to make wise decisions and
assessments in light of the facts at hand. the capacity to express ideas, expectations, and
opinions in a clear and effective manner. the capacity to assign priorities, distribute resources,
and adhere to deadlines. the capacity to recognize difficulties and barriers and deal with them in
a sensible and efficient way. the capacity for long-term planning and strategic thought in order to
meet corporate goals. Technical skills are specialized knowledge or competence needed for a
certain line of work. These are more task-oriented abilities that can differ substantially based on the
sector or position. Coding, software development, and programming languages. Mechanical, electrical,
and civil engineering are examples of engineering talents. competence in graphic design, video editing
or photography, data analysis and statistical competence, medical knowledge and experience, financial
analysis and accounting abilities. Soft skills are character traits that help people get along with others
and function well in social circumstances. They are sometimes referred to as people skills or
interpersonal abilities. These abilities are necessary for teamwork, communication, and relationship
development. the capacity to communicate ideas clearly, actively listen, and modify one's
communication style to suit various audiences. the ability to identify, acknowledge, and communicate
one's own feelings to others. The capacity to collaborate with others to achieve a common objective.
the capacity to assess a problem, take into account many viewpoints, and aim for creative solutions. the
capacity to pick up new abilities, accept change, and adapt to novel circumstances. Success in the
engineering sector requires a combination of technical, soft, and management abilities. Large-scale and
intricate engineering projects often need careful planning, coordinating, and controlling to be carried
out effectively. Therefore, in order to guarantee that projects are finished on schedule, within budget,
and to the proper quality standards, engineers must possess management abilities. Examples of
managerial abilities that are applicable to engineering include the capacity to organize, plan, and carry
out difficult tasks in order to meet predetermined goals and objectives. The capacity to encourage and
inspire groups to strive toward shared objectives. the ability to recognize and reduce hazards that might
compromise a project's success. The ability to communicate intricate technical details to several
stakeholders in an understandable and efficient way. Since engineering is a technical area, engineers
must have the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively design and build systems, structures, and
products. the ability to develop unique design thoughts and ideas for structures, systems, or goods. the
ability to make technical drawings and models using CAD software. the capacity to choose suitable
production procedures and materials to guarantee the dependability and quality of the final product.
the ability to test prototypes and analyze data in order to assess product performance and pinpoint
areas that need improvement. Project managers, technicians, clients, and other professionals are
frequently involved in engineering projects. Soft skills are therefore essential for an engineer to succeed
in this line of work. the capacity to successfully and clearly convey technical knowledge to others with
varying degrees of technical experience. The ability to collaborate well with other experts in order to
accomplish shared objectives. the capacity for original thought to address challenging technological
issues. the ability to efficiently manage time in order to fulfill project deadlines. the ability to change
quickly in a sector that demands adaptation to new circumstances and technology.