The Picture of Modern Workplace Environment and Oral Communication Skills of Engineering Students of Pakistan

Abstract

Communication plays paramount role for engineers at workplace in this modern age of globalization and industrialization. The purpose of this study was to determine importance of oral communication and oral presentation for engineers at workplace and barriers that hindered effective oral presentation performance of engineering students for workplace environment. Thirty engineers and seven engineering students participated in this study. Purposive sampling method was used for data collection purpose. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results of the study indicated that oral communication and oral presentation plays important role for engineers at workplace and barriers for instance lack of confidence, lack of knowledge, lack of environment and lack of English language hindered effective oral presentation performance of engineering students. However, the results of this study are consistent with literature review findings on importance of oral communication and oral presentation for engineers at workplace and barriers that hamper effective oral presentation performance of engineering students.Engineer of 2020, 2005: 166), because good engineering require good communication (National Academy of Engineering, 2004) skills of engineering graduates such as oral communication and presentation skills. Research reveals that administrators and academicians recognize communication skills as significant skills for graduates (Gray, 2010) in order to be fit in this competitive work environment of organizations and thereby excel in job promotion ladder. In addition, industry recognizes importance of communication for engineering graduates (Korte et al., 2008). No doubt engineering graduates equipped with effective oral communication and presentation skills increase workplace productivity of organizations and employers look for graduates equipped with effective oral communication and presentation skills to hire them for workplace jobs. Thus, during the process of selection and recruitment they focus oral communication and oral presentation skills of engineering graduates. In certain instances they demand from engineering graduates to perform 5 minutes oral presentations. Sutton (2002) noted that effective communication play the role of differentiator to hire graduates for workplace jobs.Oral presentation skills have been recognized significant skills (Aly & Islam, 2005) for engineering graduates at workplace. This is because engineers have to perform oral presentations to keep abreast upper management of organization well informed about work progress and problems that confront organizations and decrease workplace productivity. Oral presentation skills are considered one of the best career enhancers (Polack-Wahl, 2000). Modern engineering graduates have to work in national and international organizations all over the world; therefore they have to communicate with people from public and private organizations and many other multiple stakeholders. Thus, these increased communications demand effective oral c...

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“…A qualitative study using an observation checklist as an instrument was conducted by Kakepoto et al (2013). The study examines the CA among Pakistan's engineers with five years of experience.…”

“…The study concluded that CA significantly affects engineers' job performance. Interestingly, engineers with high CA levels show low self-confidence, poor body language, and nervousness in their oral presentations (Kakepoto et al, 2013). These studies have shown an inconclusive correlation between CA levels and workplace variables; hence, more investigations on CA at the workplace are needed to shed some light on the matter.…”

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“…The ridicule and sarcasm of their peers caused them to feel nervous before the presentation began. Consequently, during presentations, students experience worries and anxiety (Lucas, 2001;Kakepoto et al, 2012).…”