When Engineers Become Managers: Learning from Current Engineering Managers to Advance Engineering Management Education

Abstract

This paper reports on the findings of a combined qualitative and quantitative research case study into engineering management (EM) practices in offshore Oil and Gas industry in St. John's, Newfoundland. It was designed to examine the management challenges faced by EMs in this sector, how EMs are selected, how engineers respond to being made managers and to being expected to lead, and what training and development is needed to be an engineering manager. Specifically, the study investigated the relationship between each of twenty three (23) identified EM job activities on (i) difficulty, (ii) frequency of problem occurence, (iii) benefit of training, and (iv) importance of job success. The data indicated that among the 26 EMs surveyed, problems occured most often and caused the most difficulty in the activities considered most important to success, specifically interpersonal communication, people management, leadership, motivating, finance and projects. The top training needs were identified as project management, effective speaking, motivating, leadership, decision making techniques, risk analysis, personal efficienty, and effective writing.

Not All the Same: A Look at Early Career Engineers Employed in Different Sub-Occupations

“…Engineering managers, on the other hand, are typically promoted rapidly and with little formal management training (e.g., an MBA or equivalent) 56 . First-line engineering managers often work in manufacturing, where there is great demand for line supervision 23 .…”

“…Tasks such as communication, coordination and helping others are conversely seen as not real engineering work, as they do not utilize the technical skills learned in the undergraduate engineering curriculum 30 nor is there a "tangible individual accomplishment to which to point" 11 . Since most engineering managers are promoted to their positions for their technical expertise 11,56 , it seems reasonable that, once in management, they may no longer associate their work with engineering. As Faulkner observed, these engineers' roles as "boundary spanners" can "potentially weaken their membership as 'real' engineers" 30 .…”