Planning an industrial design engineering curriculum according to the labour market based on dual training

Abstract

Industrial Design depends on industry, society and enterprise, all in constant change. The sector's companies and professionals admit a gap between skills, competences and knowledge acquired in the University, and what is demanded by the labor market. In addition, there has been a clear dissatisfaction and lack of preparation on graduates, and a distrust on the employing company towards the profession. This research, facilitates adaptability and proposes the improvement of the current curriculum of Industrial Design and Product Development Engineering Degree (IDPDED) according to the Andalusian regulation, being adaptable to other autonomous communities, and counting on participation of 195 professionals, 36 companies and 80 professors nationwide, that recognize this gap, in addition to other difficulties or deficiencies, especially legislative and administrative, for University-Business collaboration. Proposed training model takes into account the needs of the three different groups, as well as the current legislation, concluding with a participative, and collaborative, dual training plan. The designed plan is flexible and adaptable both, to companies and to time, giving companies the possibility to participate (passively or actively) in the training of their future employers. The model adapts, in addition to any Degree, fostering local employability, and nurturing both society and the economy itself through the transfer of knowledge.