Embedded systems education

Abstract

The embedded systems world has radically changed since the first Embedded Systems Design Master studies were proposed. The spectrum of application areas has increased and the whole industrial ecosystem is changed, having SMEs emerged as major players. For these reasons, it becomes mandatory to reconsider the competences and capacities that should be provided in a Master of Science Program addressing Embedded Systems Design, so as to meet new and diverse requests that come from job market and prospective employers. In this paper, we present the study we carried out to outline the revised professional profile for young Embedded Systems Designers, and we report the results of our exploration. To infer the competence of an ideal candidate, we carried out two experiments: we analyzed the competences listed in posted job offers and we interviewed a number of potential employers. Results obtained analyzing the collected data, demonstrate the importance of soft skills such as teamwork and communication, and confirm that programming, networking, real time and system architecture know-how are in demand. Our results are an important starting point for updating embedded systems design curricula.