Transforming requirements for engineering occupations as affected by technological changes

Abstract

Abstract This article is devoted to studying the influence of technological changes on transforming the necessary set of skills for engineering occupations. The expected changes in qualification requirements for engineers is based on the analysis of industrial revolution. The growing importance of soft skills is acknowledged. The methodological conclusions regarding the need to take into account the level of triple helix awareness, along with the parameters of the labor market when forecasting the directions for qualification requirements transformation for engineers were substantiated. It is noted that being ahead in the formation of new skills may have a positive impact on the growth in innovative activity. It is this aspect of the relationship between technology and qualification development trends that determines the role of educational organizations in the innovation ecosystem. It is shown that the convergence of technologies leads to an expansion of the range of professions referred to as engineering. The use of particular tools for assessing the demand for competencies allows solving only situational research tasks, whereas in the meanwhile scientifically advanced ecosystems require a system for monitoring technological and qualification changes, primarily in relation to engineering qualifications, since they can become a "bottleneck" of technological development. A methodology for systematizing the influence of technological trends on the qualification requirements is proposed. The mentioned methodology is based on bringing into conformity reciprocal trends on the meso-level within the framework of triple helix cooperation on the regional scale. As the labor market acquires flow characteristics, the need for separate monitoring procedures will decrease, with analysis algorithm simplifying.