Case study in Mexico: the civil engineering students give opinion about their weaknesses at the time they leave the university

Estudio de caso en México: los alumnos de ingeniería civil opinan sobre las debilidades de egreso

This research deals with the problem of the perception, that the civil engineering students have, about the profession at the time when they conclude their studies. The research methods used are based in a qualitative and exploratory approach in order to get the students perceptions of their professional weaknesses at the time they leave the university. These perceptions are complemented and contrasted whit those coming from professors and employers that interact with the students during their studies and when they get involved in the professional practice, respectively. The results showed that, accordingly to their experiences, the students have a narrow vision of their profession. In addition, the student’s opinions about their weaknesses when they started their professional studies and about the curricular contents they considered as low in utility and high in difficulty was also explored.

Esta investigación aborda el problema de la percepción que los estudiantes de ingeniería civil tienen de la profesión al momento de concluir sus estudios. La metodología utilizada se basa en un enfoque cualitativo y exploratorio sobre lo que ellos consideran sus debilidades de egreso de la universidad. Su percepción se complementa y contrasta con opiniones vertidas por profesores y empleadores que interrelacionan con los alumnos durante su formación y su inicio en la práctica profesional. Los resultados mostraron que, de acuerdo con su corta experiencia, los alumnos poseen una visión estrecha de la profesión. Como complemento, también, se exploró la opinión de los estudiantes respecto a sus debilidades de ingreso a la universidad, y a los contenidos del currículo que consideraron de poca utilidad y de alta dificultad.