Engineering firms are facing the challenge of filling positions, but not finding enough engineers with experience or attracting young engineers to apply. “Engineering firms need to invest more in educating engineers, if only for the selfish benefit of increasing the number of experienced, young engineers many firms are searching for,” says Gust Gianos, author of an article in Consulting-Specifying Engineer, an online magazine.

One point made by the author is that students majoring in engineering need greater motivation than money to stay in the field of engineering. Many leave their engineering major in favor of the business and management fields. Engineering programs need to focus more on what matters to the millennial generation: making a difference and doing something they feel passionate about.

Charles L. Tucker III, Alexander Rankin professor and associate dean in the College of Engineering at UIUC was quoted in the article and spoke to this point. “Many students want to make the world a better place, often on the environmental side in programs like Engineers Without Borders. These programs often do not have enough spaces for students,” says Dean Tucker.

To learn more about the changes in engineering education, and what industry can do to attract the applicants they’re looking for, click here to see the article in full.