ABSTRACT

TITLE: LEVEL OF COMPETENCE OF FILIPINO CIVIL ENGINEERS IN NORTHERN

SAMAR: its PROSPECTS FOR EMPLOYMENT AND IMPLICATIONS FOR
CURRICULAR IMPROVEMENT

The study focused on the assessment of the level of competence of Filipino civil engineers in
Northern Samar, its prospects for employment and implications for curricular improvement.

It employed the descriptive-correlational method of research. Two sets of questionnaire were utilized
to gather information needed in this study. The first was on the profile of the civil-engineer
respondents and level of competence and the second was the AACCUP instrument.

Frequency counts, percentages, multiple regression and z-test were utilized to analyze the data.

The findings of this study showed that a majority of the respondents were male, young, passed the
Licensure Examination for Civil Engineer, employed in government institutions on permanent status
and are working in jobs related to the field of civil engineering, attended more than 7
trainings/seminars, have 7 years and above experience, and only few pursue post baccalaureate
studies.

At present, the department of Civil Engineering recorded an increasing enrolment, majority of which
are male. As to its board examination results, the university’s passing percentage always exceeds the
national passing percentage.

The civil engineers rated themselves as moderately competent as to level of competence, ranking as
first is managerial skills while keeping abreast with the latest technology was observed to be the
lowest. The respondents’ immediate supervisors or HRMO rated their employees as moderately
competent, wherein technical expertise is the highest and communication skills was observed to be
the lowest.

As regards to the status of the civil engineering curriculum in the University of Eastern Philippines,
Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives, Faculty, Curriculum and Instruction, Support to Students,
Library and Administration were rated very good, while Physical Plant and Facilities, Extension &
Community Involvement and Laboratories were rated good and research was rated fair. In summary,
the general findings of the study had a very good rating.

The same findings revealed that there is no significant relationship between the respondents’ level of
competence and their age, eligibility, position and years of experience, while sex, category of
employment, type of employment, training/seminars attended and highest educational attainment
were found to be significant with the respondents’ level of competence.

There is no significant difference on the level of competence between the UEP and the non UEP
graduates in terms of communication skills, managerial skills, environmental awareness,
professional advancement and keeping abreast with the latest technology, while there is significant
difference on the level of competence between the UEP and non UEP graduates in terms of skills and
technical expertise.

Likewise there is no significant difference on the ratings of the civil engineers and the observations of
their immediate supervisors or HRMO.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The following persons are worthy of acknowledgment, praise and emulation for they had contributed
much to the realization of this research and made all possible the gathering of needed materials and
data which are highly needed in the final analysis. The researcher is highly indebted to all who had
been part of this achievement.

To Dr. Mindanilla B. Broto, his thesis adviser, for her immeasurable professional assistance and
support from the visualization up to the realization stage of this research endeavor that ended up as a
globally competitive output.

To his panel of examiners, Dr. Fe Y. Tan, Dr. Nimfa T. Basierto, Dr. Antontio S. Broto, Dr.
Rolando Delorino, Dr. Pedro D. Desrura and Dr. Mar P. De Asis, for their time and effort
extended in giving constructive criticisms and sharing useful knowledge that enhanced the purpose
of this undertaking.

To Dr. Antonio S. Broto and Prof. Nilo Salazar, his statisticians, for their incalculable
assistance in the computer manipulation and statistical analysis of data.

To Dr. Manuel A. Basierto, the Dean of the Graduate School, for his unending support and
motivation to the researcher in pursuing higher level of education and for his fatherly advice and
intellectual inputs that molded him to a more competent individual.

To his GS professors, Dr. Pedro D. Destura, Dr. Zenaida Lucero, Dr. Arminda Infante, Dr.
Oscar Cisar, Dr. Haydee O. Evardone, Dr. Antonio Broto, Dr, Manuel Basierto, and Dr.
Linda A. Cinco, for their intellectual and philosophical inputs that propelled his holistic
development as an individual and as a professional.

To Prof. Estrelita Pinca, GS Secretary, and to all GS staff, for their magnificent support and
motivation.

To his classmates in the doctoral program, Inday, Josephine, Moises, Trofimo, Tito,
Allan, Ida, Omar, Velfa, Girlie, Dario and Geraldine, who inspired him during classes and
shared laughter during break time.

To all university officials, teaching and non-teaching staff and civil engineering students for their
open-handed help in sharing their data and insights that helped the researcher in the final analysis of
the status of the civil engineering of the university. Most specially to the Engr. Danilo Entico,
Dean of the College of Engineering and Engr. Lolita P. Guita, for their colossal support and never
fading concern in sharing all the needed data for the completion of this treatise.
To the civil engineering students and alumni of UEP Civil Engineering Department, both
working here and abroad, who had extended time and effort during interviews either in person and
through the internet, to validate the status of the curriculum.

To all civil engineers in Northern Samar and their immediate supervisors, especial mention to Engr.
Sandy T. Pua, PICE Northern Samar Chapter President, and his officers, for the generous
assistance to the researcher in gathering the needed data from all respondents all over the province
and providing him the list and contact numbers of the private contractors and other respondents.

Dr. Myrna A. Poso, executive director of UEP Laoang, for her motherly advices and continuously
inspiring the researcher in pursuing higher education that enthuses the researcher to pursue and
dream for moving towards the realization of his reveries.

To the UEP Laoang family, his friends and colleagues, for the momentous activities they had
shared during his stay in the university that instigated his trances to be more proficient professional.

To his colleagues and friends in Salalah College of Technology, Sultanate of Oman, especial
mention to Josie, Jerry, Zaldy, Ceasar, Arman, Fanny, Charity, Ofel and Peter, for their
whole-hearted support and inspiration while the researcher is in the process of data analysis and
writing.

To Chito, Eric, Joey, Judy, Roy, Jaykris, Elmer, Neay, Boboy, Engr. Marlene Parane,
Engr. Roel Morales, Engr. Isidro Bere, Mana Naydee, Baby Antipolo, Riza
Entico and Saline Flores for their invaluable effort in helping the researcher in the data gathering.

To his loving and treasureable family, Ellen (mother), Arthur (stepfather), Arjae, Lola
Carmen and Lola Ansa, aunties, uncles and cousins for their unending love and guidance that
shaped the researcher into a worthy person.

And to the loving Almighty Father, for continuously showering the blessings that made his life
meaningful and worthy of existence.

DEDICATION
Names of people behind the realization of this precious discourse and those who made my worldly
existence meaningful and worth reminiscing for are worthy of special mention.

This valuable undertaking is humbly dedicated

to my family Ellen Arthur Arjae Lola Carmen Lola Ansa endless thanks and praise go to the
One who made my life complete and valuable, through His blessings and guidance, on this humble
work of knowledge and quest for truth.

I take a bow to our Almighty Father, the Great Provider, and raise in prayer my achievements unto

His name.
- Dondon

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study
“One cannot question the desirability of technical training, especially in developing countries, for
learning to survive is the basic instinct of all human beings.”

Heherson Alvarez (1991)

The onset of globalization has resulted to the yearly application for work abroad of thousands of
Filipino civil engineers. Fortunately, most of the countries hiring engineers prefer Filipinos. Reports
in newspapers and televisions reveal that there are Filipino workers who can really compete with
other nationalities, although they are not the primary and sole bases for one to predict that all civil
engineers abroad are globally competitive. Neither can it also be said that civil engineers who work in
some private and government-owned construction firms in the Philippines can be considered
globally-competitive because not all Philippine companies offering engineering services are
accredited or have met certain global or even international standards. It goes without saying that a
civil engineer of the future must have advanced knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will set him or
her apart from other technologically-capable civil engineers. S/he must be better prepared to develop
his/her competencies and potentials as a global worker whose prospects for a bright future can also
be traced back to his educational training.

In the Philippines, engineering has many undergraduate programs with large enrolments. On the
average, some 200,000 young Filipinos enroll in the different engineering courses and 40,000
graduate every school yearly (Ramos, 2000:7). The recent Civil Engineer Licensure Examination
result shows that 2,065 or 44.37% out of 4,654 examinees passed (Philippine Star, 2006). This
statistics indicates that many young Filipinos are inclined to the engineering profession. These
aspirants, if given the proper motivation, guidance, educational assistance, training and
development, will become competent engineers who will be able to compete in the future with
foreign engineers and managers in big and multi-national projects. This situation creates stiff
competition among our local professional engineers (Basilio, 2003:1). According to Lazaro (2003:1)
the Filipino civil engineer is globally competitive. In almost any country in the world, one will see
Filipino civil engineers competing successfully with other nationalities, including those from
developed countries. For one thing good about Filipino engineers is that they are hardworking. This
is opposed by the statement of Gepulango (2001) that civil engineering graduates of Philippine
engineering schools are hardly recognized in most countries of the world. One reason for this could
be the fact that it takes only fifteen years to earn a complete civil engineering degree in the
Philippines while it takes a minimum of no less than sixteen years in the rest of the countries in the
world.

The external parameters for our education today are liberalization, globalization and privatization.
The internal one is enabling our students to cultivate and display their potential abilities in
engineering and technology that cannot be easily done within the constraints of the formal curricular
framework (Krishna, 2000). These abilities are requirements for excellence to keep one updated with
the national and global trends and that makes cognizant the reorientation of students to the budding
state of information technology in engineering through curriculum improvement.

Civil engineering graduates are evaluated through the licensure examination, which is administered
by the Philippine Regulatory Commission. Upon passing the licensure examination, they are
qualified for civil engineering professional practice. Since global economy is becoming
interdependent, the world becomes the market place for civil engineers (Basilio, 2003). However,
some civil engineering schools do not appear to be active in curriculum innovation research and
exploration on how to leverage technology for educational advancement. One of the possible reasons
for this may be the fragmentation of civil and environmental engineering into too many distinct
specializations with little interaction, and a general lack of integrative, systematic approaches to
curriculum reform (Karadogan et. Al., 2006:1).

According to Blas Ople (1997), the global market forces are now in a state of flux. It is therefore
necessary for the Filipino manpower to be developed in terms of skills level to make them
competitive both here and abroad (Basilio, 2003). Today, the problems confronting developing
countries have become more complex requiring new approaches, new paradigms and new sets of
technical competencies. Considering the different issues confronting the development of
infrastructure in the Philippines, the current curriculum in civil engineering seems to fail in
addressing the emerging needs (Doña and Yai, 2001).

In this world that is rapidly changing because of the inception of globalization, the civil engineering
profession recognizes that there should be change in educational emphasis to meet the demands of
the times. Innovations and global competition are forcing educational institutions to re-analyze and
re-examine their present curriculum about the kind of civil engineers that they must produce. Issues
such as the growing gap between theory and practice, overlapping of courses, computer literacy, and
language proficiency are only few push factors that make revision of the current civil engineering
education curriculum an imperative mission of the school to bridge the gap between the present set-
up and global standards. This is especially so that the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE)
had enumerated five (5) specializations under civil engineering profession which are Construction
Management and Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Water
Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, and Geotechnical Engineering which can be awarded by the
Board of Examiners upon completion of the requirements such as post baccalaureate studies and
number of years working both in line with the specialization being applied for.

The new trends in the civil engineering profession have compelled the researcher to determine the
competence level of Filipino civil engineers in his province, Northern Samar. He strongly believes
that the findings of this study will also play a vital role in the improvement and upgrading of the civil
engineering curriculum in the country for it to keep abreast with the fast changing requirements of
global competitiveness. Hence, this study.

Statement of the Problem

This study determined the level of competence of Filipino civil engineers in Northern Samar, its
prospects for employment and implications for curricular improvement.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the civil engineer-respondents in terms of:

2. What is the profile of state universities and colleges in Northern Samar in terms of:

3. What is the profile of the different institutions/companies hiring civil engineers in terms of:

4. What is the level of competence of civil engineers who are UEP graduates and non-UEP graduates,
in terms of:

5. What is the status of the civil engineering curriculum that is offered in the University of Eastern
Philippines in terms of:

6. Is there any significant relationship between civil engineer-respondents’ profile and their level of
competence?

7. Is there a significant difference on the level of competence of civil engineers between UEP
graduates and non-UEP graduates?

8. Is there a significant difference on the observations of the level of competence between civil
engineers and heads of institutions/companies?

Objectives of the Study

This study aimed to find out the level of competence of Filipino civil engineers in Northern Samar
and its prospects for employment and implications for curricular improvement.

Specifically, it tried to:

1. determine the profile of the civil engineer-respondents in terms of:

2. ascertain the profile of the state universities and colleges in Northern Samar in terms of:

3. find out the profile of the different institutions hiring civil engineers in terms of:

4. find out the level of competence of civil engineers, who are UEP graduates and non-UEP
graduates, in terms of:

5. determine the status of the civil engineering curriculum in the University of Eastern Philippines in
terms of:

6. determine if there is significant relationship between civil engineer-respondents’ profile and their
level of competence.
7. determine if there is significant difference on the level of competence of civil engineers between
UEP and non-UEP graduates.

8. find out if there is significant difference on the observations of the level of competence between
civil engineers and heads of institutions/companies.

Significance of the Study

Every research undertaking is anchored on the goal of unveiling another relevant contribution to the
body of knowledge.

The result of this study is helpful to policy-makers for this may serve as guide in policy formulation
geared towards the enhancement and upliftment of civil engineering curriculum to be able to
produce competent, quality and globally-competitive Filipino civil engineers.

Administrators. The findings of this study will serve as eye-openers for them to strengthen,
update and revise the present civil engineering curriculum in order to cope with globalization.

Instructors/Professors. They will be provided with insights and awareness on how to meet the
demands of the industry by modifying and upgrading their method of instruction and instructional
materials.

Researchers. Results of this study will provide them information and knowledge on the strengths
and weaknesses of the present civil engineering curriculum, from which many researchable issues
will be discovered and further explored in search for the truth and as a contribution to knowledge.

Students. This study will give them awareness of the need to develop early their skills and
competencies to make them ready and prepared for the real world of work in the engineering
profession.

Civil Engineers. This study will help them cope with the needs of the time specifically in meeting
the demands for globalization of the civil engineering profession for easy employment here or
abroad.

Curriculum Planners. This study will guide them in their future curricular revisions towards a
more holistic and effective civil engineering curriculum.

UEP. This study will unveil the strengths and weaknesses of the civil engineering program. Hence,
the findings of this study will be used as bases in the program planning and redirection of activities
in the civil engineering department.

Policy-Makers. This study will provide them with a clear picture of civil engineering education in
the province so that they could come up with educational plans and policies to make them more
responsive to the demands of time by infusing quality education and excellence which are very much
needed in the global arena of education.
Parents. The findings of this study will make them aware of the status of the civil engineering
education so that they can strengthen their support to their children who are taking up civil
engineering course and help them prepare their children to become globally-competitive individuals.

Community. This will instill awareness to the community on the status of the civil engineering
curriculum and its employability so children will be encouraged to take this course.

Scope and Limitation

This study was delimited to the assessment of the level of competence of Filipino civil engineers
working in Northern Samar as rated by the civil engineers and heads of industries/companies hiring
civil engineers.

The respondents were the registered civil engineers working in the province of Northern Samar.
They were grouped into UEP and non-UEP graduates and heads of industries/companies hiring civil
engineers.

The study assessed the present civil engineering curriculum of the University of Eastern Philippines,
being the sole state university in the province, based on the standards set by the Accrediting Agency
for Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP).

This study was conducted in the school year 2007-2008.

The researcher was and had not been trained for accreditation. This is one limitation of the study.
However, he was guided by his adviser who is an accredited AACCUP accreditor. Another limitation
of this study is the exclusion of University of Eastern Philippines Laoang Campus, which also offers
civil engineering program for the reason that it does not have graduates yet since the program was
offered in SY 2003-2004 only.

Theoretical Framework
The study is anchored on Dewey’s theory which states that “education is a continuous process of
experiencing, reorganizing experience, and adjustments having as its aim in every stage added
capacity for growth (Dewey, 1914:61).” Brubacher elucidates Dewey’s theory by stating that “The
educational process has no end beyond itself; it is its own end.” For further comprehension, Dewey
(1914:61), in his book, simplified the statement through his famous syllogism by saying, “Education
is all one with life, that life is growth, and therefore education is growth.”

Dewey’s philosophy, if put into realistic scenario in educational endeavor, advocates that education
be supposed to continue growing not only physically but complimentarily with the needs of time, one
that which puts changes in students as center of educative process and making the curriculum more
holistic that would address the current need for globalization. Universities and colleges are therefore
tasked with the responsibility of molding the students’ behavior and attitude, and instilling in them
appropriate knowledge and skills that are useful in the development of the country through
economic growth.
In the evaluation of the status of civil engineering curriculum in the University of Eastern
Philippines, it utilized Thorndike’s fundamental principle of measurement, (Brubacher, 1969:270)
which states that “everything that exists, exists in some amount, and what exists in amount can be
measured”. The measurement of amount implies equal units and the use of cardinal numbers. It
further means an objective and unswerving estimate, one in which results agree for other observers
and when repeated on other occasions. This theory on measurement and evaluation seeks to explain
the reality of civil engineering program as offered in the province of Northern Samar. So this study
tried to unearth facts, which are not yet known for the improvement of the status of civil engineering
curriculum not only in the provincial level but also in the national context of education.

Conceptual Framework
This research is premised on the idea that the ultimate measure of effectiveness of any civil
engineering program is when the graduates, after passing the board examination, land a job along
their specialized field. This is one indicator to measure the effectiveness of a certain curriculum that
develops the students’ abilities and skills during their college days.

In order that the different theories and concept of this study will be further understood, the
schematic diagram in Figure 1 is presented. The respondents of this study were the registered
Filipino civil engineers presently working in the Province of Northern Samar. They were grouped
into UEP and non-UEP graduates and were asked to rate their level of competence. To countercheck
their responses, heads of government and private industries or their respective HRMOs were asked
to rate the level of competence of their employees who are civil engineers. The data gathered were
statistically computed to come up with a unified assessment on the competence level of the civil
engineers in Northern Samar. This can be utilized in coming up with a proposals or improvement of
the engineering curriculum.

The status of the civil engineering program of the University of Eastern Philippines was evaluated
using the AACCUP instrument and the findings form part of the study’s analysis.

The level of competence of civil engineers was analyzed based on the national standards of the global
demand of civil engineers as cited in the study of Basilio et. al. (2003). It was utilized in coming up
with an in depth analysis of the present curricular offering of BS Civil Engineering in the University
of Eastern Philippines.

This study was developed around the assumption that the competency level of civil engineers in
Northern Samar, in terms of communication skills, computer skills, managerial skills, technical
expertise, environmental awareness, professional advancement and keeping abreast with new
technologies, is affected by the profile of the respondents in terms of sex, age, eligibility, status of
employment, number of trainings/seminars attended, number of years of experience, and highest
educational attainment.

It is assumed in this study that women are better in communication skills than men. The older a civil
engineer is, the more competent he is. This is because of the length of experience he has in his field
of specialization. Another assumption is that the more number of examinations or eligibilities s/he
passes the more competent s/he is, compared to those who do not have eligibility.

As to the number of training/seminars, the more training or seminars s/he attended the more s/he
becomes competent in his/her field. It is also assumed that the more number of years of experience
s/he has as a civil engineer, the more competent s/he is. Lastly, it is assumed also that as s/he
continuously pursues higher education, s/he becomes more competent.

Paradigm
Figure 1. The schematic diagram showing the relationship of variables.

Hypotheses

1. There is no significant relationship between the civil engineer-respondents’ profile and their level
of competence.
2. There is no significant difference in the level of competence of civil engineers between UEP
graduates and non-UEP graduates.
3. There is no significant difference on the observations of the level of competence between civil
engineers and heads of industries/companies.

Definition of Terms
For easy understanding of some terms used in this study, the following are defined conceptually and
operationally.

AACCUP. The acronym for Accrediting Agency for Chartered Colleges and Universities in the
Philippines.

Age. This is conceptually defined as the age according to year lived (Readers Digest, 1989:17).
Operationally, it refers to the number of years from birth of the respondents to the year this research
is conducted.

Communication Skills. Conceptually and operationally, they refer to the ability of the
respondents to communicate in oral, written and computer language.

Computer Skills. Conceptually, it is the ability of an individual to properly and approximately use
computers with hardware accessories (Cyclopedic Education Dictionary, 1998:56). In this study, it
refers to the ability of the respondents to operate, manipulate and program computers.

Curriculum. Educational objectives that are applicable to a specific academic area or area of study
(The Cyclopedic Education Dictionary, 1998:67). In this study it refers to the civil engineering
program to include the observance of its minimum requirements, consistency of the courses offered,
participative efforts of all concerned in the evaluation, development and revisions of the curriculum.
Eligibility. This refers to the Civil Engineering Licensure Examination and other National
Examination administered by the Philippine Regulation Commission and Civil Service Commission,
which the respondents passed.

Environmental Awareness. Conceptually and operationally, it refers to the respondents’

knowledge and information regarding the impact generated by the projects on the environment.

Experience. This refers to the number of years the respondents have worked as engineers.

Global Civil Engineer. In this study a global civil engineer is viewed as a licensed civil engineer
who possesses the global skills in communication skills, computer skills, management, technical
expertise, environmental awareness, professional advancement and keeping abreast with new
technologies. As stated by Riemer (2000:91), a global engineer must be able to easily cross national
and cultural boundaries.

Highest educational attainment. The educational attainment of the respondents categorized

into bachelor’s degree holders, with earned master’s units, master’s degree holder, with earned
doctoral units or doctoral degree holder.

Managerial Skills. Conceptually and operationally, they refer to the capacity of the respondents to
become managers.

PICE. The acronym for Philippine Institute for Civil Engineers.

Sex. The sum characteristics, structures and functions by which an animal or plant is classified as
male or female (The New Websters’ Dictionary, 1997:913). In this study, it refers to the respondents’
classification whether male or female.

Status of Employment. Conceptually and operationally , it refers to the category, type of

employment and position of the respondents. In terms of category, the respondents were categorized
as casual or permanent in status. As regards the type of employment, they were categorized as
private or government. While for the position, the respondents were categorized as
consultant/manager/project supervisor, estimator/designer/foreman, or other jobs not related to
civil engineering work.

Technical Skills. Conceptually and operationally, they refer to the capacity of the respondents to
work along construction projects.

Training/seminars attended. Conceptually and operationally, they pertain to the number of

trainings/seminars the respondents attended whether local, regional, national or foreign.

UEP. The acronym for University of Eastern Philippines, the only state university in the province of
Northern Samar with three campuses namely, UEP Main, UEP Laoang and UEP Catubig.
CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
AND STUDIES
Personal Characteristics

Sex. Lupdag (1984:57) stressed that although conclusive results on sex differences in the verbal
ability and numerical ability of Filipino have not been established, studies suggest that females are
better in verbal ability while the male excel in numerical ability. Sex differences in verbal ability
would then suggest an edge of one sex over the other in school performance. Sex differences in verbal
ability could also affect choice of a course and a job.

Women and men have communicated differently since the dawn of time. There differences can
create communication problems that undermine productivity and interpersonal communication. For
example, surveys identified five common communication problems between women and men: (1)
men were too authoritarian, (2) men did not take women seriously, (3) women were too emotional,
(4) men did not accept women as co-workers or bosses and (5) women did not speak up enough
(Kreitner and Kinicki, 2004:534)

He further stressed that gender-based differences in communication are partly caused by linguistic
styles commonly used by women and men.

The increase of women in the workplace has generated much interest in understanding the
similarities and differences in female and male leaders. Three separate meta-analyses and a series of
studies conducted by consultants across the country uncovered the following differences: (1) men
and women were seen as displaying more task and social leadership, respectively, (2) women used a
more democratic or participative style than men, and men a more autocratic and directive style than
women, (3) men and women were equally assertive and (4) women executives, seemed higher than
their male counterparts in a variety of objective criteria. (Kreitner and Kinicki, 2004:598-599).

Kreitner and Kinicki (2004:54) added that as of June 2000, women were still underpaid relative to
men. Even when women are paid the same as men, they may suffer in other areas of job
opportunities. They mentioned that a study of 69 male and female executives from a large
multinational financial services corporation revealed no difference in base salary or bonus. However,
the women in this sample received fewer stock options than the male employees, even after
controlling for level of education performance and job function, and reported less satisfaction with
future career opportunities.

They further added that another study probed male-female differences in influencing work group
members. Many studies have found women to be perceived as less competent and less influential in
work groups than men. For both women and men, task behavior was associated with perceived
competence and effective influence (Kreitner and Kinicki, 2004:561).

Robbins (1989:45-46) stated that few issues initiate more debates, myths and unsupported opinions
that whether females perform as well on job as do the males. The evidence suggests that the best
place to begin is with the recognition that there are few, if any, important differences between males
and females that will affect their job performance. There are, for instance, no consistent male-female
differences in problem-solving ability, analytical skills, competitive drive, motivation, leadership,
sociability or learning ability. While psychological studies have found that women are more willing to
conform to authority and that men are more aggressive and more likely than women to have
expectations of success, these differences are minor. Given the significant changes that have taken
place in the last 12 years in terms of increasing female participation rates in the workforce and
rethinking of what constitutes male and female roles, one should operate from the assumption that
there is no significant difference as to job productivity between males and females. Similarly, there is
no evidence indicating that an employee’s sex affects job satisfaction.

Age . On the first thought, the age of the teacher seems not to affect teaching. But when age is seen
in terms of teacher-learner rapport of relationship, contemporaries of ideas, interests and values, it
becomes more crucial than what people ordinarily think it to be. Chronological age affect the social,
emotional and psychological state of the teacher and could affect his credibility with his students.

Gines (1998: 232-233) pointed out that “there is a great indication that decision-making skills
improve with age”. It appears that the older adults are, the more likely they become more serious and
thoughtful in their decision-making. This may hold true between younger and older leaders of any
institution.

Robbins (1989: 43-44) stressed that the older one become, the less likely s/he is to quit his/her job.
As workers get older they have fewer alternative job opportunities. In addition, older workers are less
likely to resign because their longer tenure tends to provide them with higher wage rates, longer paid
vacations and more attractive pension benefit. He further added that there is a widespread belief that
productivity declines with age. It is often assumed that an individual’s skills – particularly speed,
agility, strength and coordination, decay over time and that prolonged job boredom and lack of
intellectual stimulation all contribute to reduce productivity.

Eligibility and Intelligence

A graduate of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering aims to grab the civil engineer license by
passing the two-day civil engineering licensure examination administered by the Philippine
Regulation Commission which is given twice a year, May and November. After passing, s/he will earn
the title and can perform legally the work of a civil engineer. Most of the companies and industries
here and abroad prefer licensed civil engineers to work in their companies. But still there are
institutions that also hire even those without licenses.

Robbins (1989:48-49) define intellectual abilities as those needed to perform mental abilities. IQ
tests, for example are designed to ascertain one’s intellectual abilities. So, too, are popular college
admission tests. Some of the more relevant dimensions making up intellectual abilities include
number aptitude, verbal comprehension, perceptual speed and inductive reasoning.

Robbins (1989:48-49) added that jobs differ in the demands they place on the incumbent to use their
intellectual abilities. A high IQ may not be a pre-requisite for all jobs. In fact, a high IQ may be
unrelated to performance. On the hand, a careful review of the evidence demonstrates that tests that
assess verbal, numerical, spatial and perceptual abilities are valid predictors of job proficiency across
all levels of jobs. So tests that measure specific dimensions of intelligence have been found to be
strong predictors of job performance.

Test scores measure only test-taking skills. Unfortunately, test taking skills and job performance are
very different. Job performance is based far more on motivation than intelligence. Differences in job
performance depend more on training than intelligence (Robbins, 1989:75).

Examinations may be assembled or unassembled and tests maybe written, oral, physical,
performance or testimonial, or a combination of these types. Such examinations may take into
consideration experience, education, aptitude, capacity, knowledge, character, physical fitness and
other factors which in the judgment of the Civil Service Commission determine the relative fitness of
the applicant (CSC, Module 1).

Written civil service examination includes the Career Service Professional and Sub-professional
categories, the CSEE and the specialized examinations requested by the different agencies or
departments. The passing grade for all of the CSC written examinations except for examinations
covered by special laws is at least 80% (CSC, Module 1).

Status of Employment. Extensive reviews of the seniority – productivity relationship have been
conducted. While past performances tend to be related to output in a new position, seniority by itself
is not a good predictor of productivity. In other words, holding all other things equal, there is no
reason to believe that people who have been on a job longer are more productive than are those with
less seniority (Robbins, 1989: 47).

Trainings. Beltran (2000:198) pointed out that provisions for training opportunities is as
important as selection of employees. The goal of any training program is to develop specific skills,
attitudes and capabilities to maximize the individual's job performance. It is the practice in most
organization to require some sort of trainings for every new employee. Some organizations send their
experienced executives to special institutions and seminars to learn the latest techniques of
management and administration which they can apply to their jobs. Continuous training therefore is
important in the career of an individual.

Experience. Lupdag (1984:57) stressed that experience is the best teacher. Observations also show
that teachers who have more teaching experience got promoted more than the neophytes or those
with fewer teaching years to back them up. The literature seems to support more or less a linear
relationship of teaching experience and effective teaching. Robbins (1989:510) confirms the
statement of Lupdag that experience is said to be a great teacher.

Highest Educational Qualification. There are indicators that academic qualifications, in this
case, an advanced degree, affect student performance which is reflective of teaching. On the strong
assumption that an advanced degree enhances a teacher’s effectiveness, many schools have faculty
development programs (Lupdag, 1984:36).
Mismatches between the amount of education needed to perform current jobs and the amount of
education possessed by members of the workforce are growing. Underemployment among college
graduates threatens to erode job satisfaction and work motivation. As well-educated workers begin
to look for jobs commensurate to their qualifications and expectations, absenteeism and turnover
likely will increase (Kreitner and Kinicki, 2004:54).

Certo (1994: 49) pointed out that the level of education has some effects to leaders. He cited that
higher level of education provides some knowledge and skills that will be useful on the job. It also
prepares individuals to learn more quickly the specific on-the-job knowledge they will need.

Gullas (Sunstar, February 14,2006) added that the country has to produce more professional
engineers, including those armed with post-graduate degrees, in order to take the country to the next
level of technical competence and keep the economy competitive in the global marketplace.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE:2001) encourages institutions of higher education,
governmental units, employers, civil engineers and other appropriate organizations to endorse,
support and promote the concept of mandatory post-baccalaureate education for the practice of civil
engineering at a professional level. The implementation of this effort should occur though
establishing appropriate curricula in the formal education experience, appropriate recognition and
compensation in the workplace, and congruent standards for licensure.

Globalization

Globalization is a term used to describe the increasing trend towards internationally-integrated

markets and global interconnectors. The impacts of globalization which have been felt all over the
world as advancers in communications, information technology and the mergence of international
trade agreements have slowly removed the obstacles of trade and the transfer of information across
national border (Wust, 2000).

Globalization is the trend associated with countries and organizations tapping into global networks
of opportunity in the areas of marketing, finance and education. The global engineer is a key player
in this paradigm. S/he contributes directly to issues of product development, world competitive
manufacturing and systems engineering. In particular, the global design engineer steps beyond
regional role to facilitate the provision of world competitive products and this process requires the
possible understanding of international markets, culture and race (Green, 2000).

Globalization has empowered not only the industry, commerce and trade but the academe as well.
Learning institutions specifically colleges and universities, must respond to the trend to make their
products competitive in terms of skills and technology as identified by the needs of the society and
the industry (Hagos, 2001:1).

Engineers are always instrumental in modernizing civilization. They invent, design and build roads,
bridges, dams, buildings, computers and other things that make up modern civilization. Today, they
are more important than ever because society depends on science and technology to keep it running
and become more progressive (Basilio et. al., 2003:2).
Among the oldest fields of the engineering profession is Civil Engineering. The field is blessed with a
very wide scope and almost unlimited opportunities. However, as a result of extensive studies on the
fast emerging technological developments, specializations in Civil Engineering have been lost to new
professions. The course has already given way to other specializations – Geodetic Engineering,
Sanitary Engineering and even Plumbing. A new curriculum development paradigm is therefore
needed to come up with the new courses necessary in this high technology era. Industry involvement
is important in a meaningful implementation of curricular programs, in as much as rapidly changing
disciplines and the advanced technology need help from them. Good curriculum design should
include an industry needs-analysis (Hagos, 2001:1).

The engineering enterprise has become increasingly global. This means that an engineer faces stiffer
competition than before. To compete for work in a global economy, an engineer must be
technologically adept and must aim for top quality work. Our present educational system emphasizes
the acquisition of knowledge rather than practical skills (Gepulango, 2001:2).

Societies throughout world are aware of the achievements in civil engineering. It is recognized world-
wide that the civil engineer is one major instrument in development and change and plays a
fundamental role in shaping the world. But development is now more and more a compromise
between those which are technically possible, those which are considered economically attractive,
and those which are acceptable on environmental grounds. The concept of sustainable development
has emerged in the last decades of the 20th century and is gaining global acceptance (Mena, 2001:1).

In this connection, Michel and Smith (1998) showed in a report that an important ingredient for
achieving competitive success is the establishment of effective collaborations with other customers,
suppliers, high education establishment and so on. Such collaboration allows firms to expand their
range of expertise, develop specialized products and achieve other corporate objectives.
Collaboration is also one of the most important means of fostering innovation and effective
competition in international markets.

As competition intensifies, education is required to measure and professionalize human resources in

order to acquire new skills, new knowledge, and new attributes to meet the demands of the
environment. Joel Griffin (1996) acknowledges that it is continuing education and professional
development that sustain the engineering competency and versatility.

Rapid technology and industrialization development require well-skilled and knowledgeable human
resources. In particular, the development of quality infrastructure projects depends heavily on the
availability of professional knowledge workers and technocrats (Rialubin, 1998). Scheridan (1993)
agrees that each organization must elevate the agility of its goals and the competitive environment in
which it operates. There should be increased emphasis on highly trained, knowledgeable and
empowered workers whose talents will significantly increase the organization’s flexibility to
responsiveness.

At present, civil engineering education in the Philippines has faced insurmountable odds of
vulnerability brought about by global competitiveness. With the strong commitment to the
advancement of the civil engineering profession, The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers is
incessantly perpetuating its noble objectives focusing on upgrading civil engineering education
through the advocacy of establishing a forum of civil engineering educators. It advances and
implements dynamic programs that would ultimately be beneficial not only to its members but also
to the upcoming civil engineers (Terante, 2002:1).

Global Demand
In Northland, the number of civil engineers employed in the Northland region is expected to increase
moderately over the next three to five years. Employment opportunities are influenced by new
industries being established in the region, improved interest rates and a favourable exchange rate.
Engineering reports required for residential and commercial building, and requirements by local
bodies for resource consent are also increasing the demand for civil engineers. In addition, people
are becoming more creative with building design and positioning, further increasing their workload
(Metarahi, 2002).

In Auckland, the number of civil engineers, which includes civil engineers, environmental engineers,
water and soil engineers and coastal engineers, employed in the Auckland region is expected to grow
moderately over the next three to five years. Employers in this region are experiencing difficulties
hiring qualified and experienced engineers who are familiar with local conditions and the relevant
engineering codes. The demand for civil engineers in the Auckland region is influenced by
government funding for developing infrastructure, which is fairly stable, and the work of private
property developers. Auckland's buoyant economy and growing population will also create a steady
demand for other civil engineers. Civil engineers working in the Auckland region are usually
employed full-time. It is often difficult to work less than 30 hours a week in this occupation because
clients expect engineers to be readily available and meet tight deadlines. Also engineers often work in
teams that are considered easier to manage if all members work full-time. A global shortage of civil
engineers has resulted in many opportunities for New Zealand trained engineers to work overseas.
As a result, turnover among graduate engineers is high as it is common for them to work two to three
years in New Zealand and then move overseas to work to gain further experience. Despite this,
turnover among civil engineers in this region is generally moderate to low (Metarahi, 2004).

The number of civil engineers employed in Canterbury is expected to grow moderately over the next
three to five years. The property boom has created a shortage of experienced civil engineers across
New Zealand including the Canterbury region. Employment opportunities are influenced by many
factors including the state of the economy, business confidence, population change, government
policy and changing technology. A buoyant economy, strong business confidence and Canterbury's
growing population have all helped create the current high demand for civil engineers. Government
spending on large projects like new hospitals, schools and infrastructure also requires the services of
civil engineers. Civil engineers are usually employed full-time as there is a need to provide continuity
on projects. Turnover among civil engineers in the Canterbury region is low and this trend is
expected to continue over the next three to five years. Many graduates gain a few years work
experience before traveling overseas to broaden their knowledge (Metarahi, 2003).

The future market for civil engineers looks promising as the globalization of markets, the
advancement of information technology and the increase of world population continues to provide a
growing opportunity for civil engineering projects in the global marketplace. It is estimated that over
the next 10 to 15 years, the world population will increase by 1 billion. The increase in population will
have the great impact on the health of the environment, the maintenance of infrastructure, waste
management and other significant health and safety concerns that will need to be addressed by civil
engineers. The demands placed on civil engineers over the next decade will move away from the
traditional concept of engineering (Wust,2000:2).

Level of Competence

Communication Skills
Communication skills are essential for an engineer who aspires to carry out his/her professional
practice in the global arena. Engineering communication skills basically constitute several core
elements such as the fluency in the English language and the fundamentals of visual communication.
English has become the ascendant language internationally, being the most widespread. This will
influence the language of communication between and among professionals internationally. In this
age of globalization, the number of international projects is increasing, and cross cultural
communication and collaboration is on the rise; this is particularly so for the new international
practice of engineering (Riemer, 2002:91-92).

Engineering graduates require an ever-increasing range of skills to maintain relevance with the
global environment of the new millennium. Communication skills are vital component of this, as
recognized by the academia and the industry alike. English language skills are also important given
their widespread status across the globe as lingua franca. Indeed, multilingual skills are considered a
salient element in the make-up of the new global engineer. English for specific purposes focuses the
learner’s attention on the particular terminology and communication skills required in the
international professional field. The impacts on communication skills development include various
elements, including gender equality. A lack of sufficient communication skills serves only to
undermine the image of the engineer, but this can be tackled by engaging features of emotional
intelligence (EQ) in the education of engineers (Riemer, 2002:91).

There is ample evidence that graduate engineers lack the required standard of communication skills,
particularly when compared to the needs of industry internationally (Jensen, 2000).

Globalization directly influences the industry’s needs; a global engineer must be able to easily cross
national and cultural boundaries. This, in turn, directly affects engineering education. A common
code for communication is required. Education institutions which meet the language requirements
for the new global engineer, will be ready to face the new millennium (Riemer, 2000:91).

Language and communication skills are recognized as important elements in the education of the
modern engineers, including English for specific purposes. Yet, there seems to be limited
implementation of English courses globally, despite its current lingua franca status. Those
institutions that have already implemented multilingual and communication elements will be at the
forefront of providing the demands of industry and society (Riemer, 2000:99).
Northup (1980) said that their experience indicates that all engineering graduates need more
training in communication with emphasis on clarity, organization, and brevity. Much experience and
important work is lost in files crowded with reports describing conventional methodology without
adequately recording conclusions or recommendations of the men who have been closest to the
problems.

Kreitner and Kinicki (2004:527) stressed that the quality of interpersonal communication within an
organization is very important. People with good communication skills helped groups to make more
innovative decisions and were promoted more frequently than individuals with less developed
abilities. Although, there is no universally accepted definition of communication competence, it is a
performance-based index of an individual ability to effectively use communication behavior in a
given context. He further added that communication competence is determined by three
components: communication abilities and traits, situational factors and the individuals involved in
the interaction.

Computer Skills
Technology is impacting on the skill requirements of other civil engineers. Computer-aided design
(CAD) now allows them to effectively and efficiently produce and present three-dimensional designs.
Turnover among civil engineers is low. Most are employed full-time as consultants and this is likely
to continue over the next three to five years, although there may be more opportunities for part-time
contract work. Civil engineering is a male-dominated industry, but this is likely to change as there
has been an increase in the number of female graduates (Metarahi, 2002:1).

Computers have greatly increased the ability of students to perform calculations and to process large
amount of data. As a result, the type and nature of problems and mathematical techniques taught in
school may have to be changed or modified so that usefulness of the computer can be maximized in
the teaching-learning process. This is especially true for civil engineering education where the
computer has started to be recognized as a useful and important tool in civil engineering analysis and
design (Oreta, 2001:1) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is now a global tool for
development. We are moving rapidly towards an e-environment (Mena, 2001:1).

Computer softwares, especially for engineering, have become more powerful, robust and user-
friendly. Consequently, it has become clear that integrating the use of computer software in the
curriculum will be to the advantage of the students who will become future civil engineers. However,
before adopting the computer in teaching, the professor needs to determine whether five pre-
requisites for instructional use of computers have been met. This is summarized by Wankat and
Oreovicz (1993) as: 1) accessibility of hardware and software to both the students and faculty, 2) the
software must be reliable, robust and easy-to-use, 3) the faculty must have sufficient interest with the
software, 4) there must be an advantage in the use of the computer software, and 5) students must be
given some background on the use of the hardware and software (Oreta, 2001:1).

The computer can play a useful and important role in the teaching and learning of civil engineering
concepts and application. Depending on the type of software used, the professor can design the
course such that the computer can be used advantageously to increase the understanding of
engineering concepts and to develop sound judgment in students. Since the development of faster
and more affordable computer will be the trend, it is necessary that civil engineering schools should
increase the awareness in students on the significant role computers play on education and in the
industry (Oreta, 2001:1).

The ability to integrate new computing tools in engineering processes is of great importance because
it will serve as a link between the industry and the skills acquired by the student through new
technology. Nowadays, industries are using new computing software to improve efficiency, accuracy
and productivity and thereby maximize use of time, money and effort. Information technology
devices should be viewed positively as an essential tool for connecting one system to the others
worldwide. Schools should acquire facilities in information technology to cope up with this demand.
There are new quality engineering multimedia materials available in the market consisting of video
course, CDs, nooks and manuals encompassing almost all fields of engineering. Some of these
curriculum-based multimedia materials are relevant to prepare colleges for global accreditation and
excellence in the new millennium (Hagos, 2001:4).

Destura (2004) stressed that, in the Philippines, the adoption of a particular innovation, is not a fact
as may be desired even if such is becoming a universal practice in view of its significance to
education, due to some limitations. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) promotion is
a complex task that used careful and efficient steps considering the meager budget allotted to state
institutions by the national government.

He further pointed out that to survive the onslaught of change, institution must find new ways to
deliver better education to students. The use of information technology, particularly internet, can
contribute to solving some of the challenges. In advanced countries, the use of information
technology or electronic learning has dramatically changed and improved the nature of teaching and
learning. The internet has created virtual classrooms which educators and students can visit anytime
and from nowhere (Destura, 2004).

According to Carague (2000), access to computer technology is a major issue. There are several
strategies that can be used to provide support for student access to computers. One is to provide
computer labs on campus for students. Another strategy to increase the accessibility of computers
and networks for learners are the development of government-funded educational networks, through
contract leasing or bulk buying of telecommunications services, tax breaks for students on computer
purchase, and the development of local community learning centers equipped with advanced
technologies.

Managerial Skills
Fajardo (1988:65-66) stressed that Filipino workers are considered by many overseas employers as
some of the world’s best. It should also be noted that many Filipino managers today have been
schooled in the best American and European universities of management. However, these two
groups seem to excel in other countries than in their own country.
According to Rialubin et. al. (2003), all areas, under managerial skills have been perceived by the
respondents as much needed factors in their job as engineers. Since most of the respondents are
already occupying top positions, they need all these qualities to be able to manage their people. This
signifies that they are able to cope with demands, new problems and new challenges.

Title
Level of Competence of Civil Engineers in the Philippines
Subtitle
Its Prospects for Employment and Implications for Curricular Improvement
Author
Florante Jr Poso (Author)
Year
2007

Quote Paper
Florante Jr Poso (Author), 2007, Level of Competence of Civil Engineers in the Philippines,
Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/371040
 Bridging the Gaps between Engineering Education and
Practice
Samantha R. Brunhaver, Russell F. Korte, Stephen R. Barley, Sheri D.
Sheppard
Chapter in NBER book U.S. Engineering in a Global Economy (2018), Richard B. Freeman and
Hal Salzman, editors (p. 129 - 163)
Conference held September 26-27, 2011
Published in April 2018 by University of Chicago Press
© 2018 by the National Bureau of Economic Research

This chapter examines the disjunctures between engineering education and practice to
identify ways to better connect the two. Qualitative interviews with engineering students and
new engineers are used to compare the knowledge and skills that engineers learn in school
and those that they learn on the job. Our findings demonstrate that, while engineering
practice requires the integration of several kinds of knowledge and skills, engineering
education focuses mainly on the technical side. Engineers learn most professional and
organizational knowledge and skills only after entering the workforce. Even when they are
exposed to professional skills such as teamwork and communication in school, they may not
see true representations of what these skills look like on the job or consider the work as “real
engineering”. The results suggest deficiencies in the current model of engineering education
that constrain its ability to produce effective graduates. Implications for engineering
education, professional practice, and educational research are discussed.

Brunhaver, Samantha & Korte, Russell & R. Barley, Stephen & D. Sheppard, Sheri. (2017). Bridging the
gaps between engineering education and practice. This chapter examines the disjunctures between
engineering education and practice to identify ways to better connect the two. Qualitative interviews
with engineering students and new engineers are used to compare the knowledge and skills that
engineers learn in school and those that they learn on the job. Our findings demonstrate that, while
engineering practice requires the integration of several kinds of knowledge and skills, engineering
education focuses mainly on the technical side. Engineers learn most professional and organizational
knowledge and skills only after entering the workforce. Even when they are exposed to professional
skills such as teamwork and communication in school, they may not see true representations of what
these skills look like on the job or consider the work as “real engineering”. The results suggest
deficiencies in the current model of engineering education that constrain its ability to produce effective
graduates. Implications for engineering education, professional practice, and educational research are
discussed.