Abstract
M.Phil. (Engineering Management)
Purpose – The aim of this study is to describe the common expectations that young University graduates develop within the building construction sector that result in career frustrations. Design/Methodology/Approach – Purposive sampling was used to collect data from 59 respondents using a field and online approach. The field survey involved circulating of questionnaires at a University of Technology in the Gauteng Province in South Africa. The focus was on Electrical Engineering 1st year Bachelor of engineering technology (BEng Tech) students, while the online survey involved the circulating of questionnaires using emails, google forms, monkey survey and social media platforms (LinkedIn and Facebook). Findings – The results of the study indicate that young university graduates are frustrated, and this is resulting in job hopping, lack of experience due to the inability to stay in one organization long enough to gain knowledge and lastly, not being able to register with ECSA as either a professional Engineering Technologist or Engineering Technician. The results also show that there is need to align University of technologies and industries. Research limitations – It was not easy to gain access to professional engineers, ECSA representatives and other University of Technology institutions in Gauteng. This means that results are not conclusive with the sample being not large or wide enough. Originality/Value – This paper will put engineering managers in a better position on how to treat young university graduates with regards to expectations/demands and also offer a clear perspective on what needs to be done that young graduates are well-advised to register with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).