| This exploratory study identified 17 work-related competencies that might relate best to superior job performance (Spencer & Spencer, 1993) and examined their relationship to the successful workplace adaptation of recent engineering graduates. The study also investigated the similarities and differences between the work-related competencies of graduates who participated in cooperative education and those who did not. The test battery used to survey employers who hired recent engineering graduates consisted of the Work-Related Competency Index (WCI; including the 11 ABET competencies), the Workplace Adaptation Questionnaire (WAQ), and a demographic survey. Traditional mail and web-based surveys were employed to collect the data from employers representing a wide spectrum of organizations, hiring from a cross-section of engineering disciplines. Descriptive statistics provided information about the organizational demographics, and about the recent engineering graduates evaluated. Data-analytic techniques incorporated correlations, Cronbach's Alphas, t tests, ANOVAs, and multiple regressions to answer the research questions.;Correlational analysis revealed that the Work-Related Competency Index developed for this study correlated strongly with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) competencies A--K. Reliability analyses demonstrated acceptable internal consistencies for each of the research instruments ranging from .88--.96. The consistency findings mirror previous research with the WAQ, strongly supporting its use as a research tool.;Work-related competency scores were similar among the graduates who co-oped and those who did not, with the exception of both the communication and resource utilization competencies. Statistically significant differences were not found between the competencies and gender or ethnic classification. Regression analysis tested the extent of the relationship between work-related competency and workplace adaptation. The results suggested a robust relationship between the competencies tested and workplace adaptation. Regression analyses further showed that the 11 ABET competencies were largely equivalent to the inclusive 17 competency model tested; thus, each was a strong predictor of workplace adaptation.;Finally, the findings indicated that engineering programs are graduating entry-level engineers with the competencies necessary to adapt successfully to their respective organizations. |
