T-Shaped Engineers

The future technology worker will be T-shaped. This will include engineers. T-shaped engineers of the future will possess a deep knowledge in one technical discipline. This skill set describes the vertical leg of the T. This technical knowledge will be enhanced with additional advanced engineering course work beyond the undergraduate level.

Regardless of whether your goal is to innovate around a product, service, or business opportunity, you get good insights by having an observant and empathic view of the world. You can't just stand in your own shoes, you've got to be able to stand in the shoes of others. Empathy allows you to have original insights about the world. It also enables you to build better teams. This is the horizontal part of the tee - technologists with a wide portfolio of actionable skill sets. T-shaped engineers should be able to explore insights from many different perspectives and recognize patterns of behavior that point to a universal human need. Engineering should be focused on this point - patterns that yield ideas.

These T-shaped engineers will include the civil engineer working on projects in developing countries that has branched out into anthropology and history. It is the public works engineer that has added project management certification and readings in public policy formulation. It is the computer circuits engineer that has enrolled in a MBA program. It is about engineers understanding the usefulness and stimulating horizontal portion of the tee and being motivated and willing to make an entrepreneurial investment in themselves.