Industrial Expectations for Marine Engineering Major Students

Abstract

Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) has a special mission to deliver highly qualified graduates in marine engineering to the maritime industry. The engineering department of MMA has an engineering advisory council (EAC) comprised of industrial representatives who meet with the department twice a year to provide feedback on the emerging job market and the strengths and weaknesses of the MMA marine engineering program. While the majority of the EAC members are from Massachusetts-based companies, it would be beneficial to seek the industrial expectations on a national scope.This paper targets the industrial expectations for the marine engineering major students on a national scope. Job hunting websites, including indeed, linkedin, glassdoor, monster and careerbuilder, have been used to collect national information on the 115 marine engineering jobs available from May 2017 to Oct 2017. Statistical analysis has revealed the industrial expectations for the top job placements (locations), the top job categories, and software skills most in demand. The paper also discusses possible modifications to the existing MMA curriculum and course contents to better meet these industrial expectations, including assigning practical projects in courses such as Strength of Material, Electronics, etc.