An evaluation of generic skills outcomes in engineering education in Hong Kong was conducted. Results indicated that the overall assessment of the graduate engineers did possess general generic skills to carry out their tasks in the workplaces. The results also concurred by their engineering managers. However, the results also indicated that the graduate engineers were insufficiently prepared for certain specific areas for the job-related problem-solving and communication skills. The study results also indicated that the majority of the graduate engineers and the engineering managers indicated that the problem-solving and communication (as part of inter-personal skills) skills are the most important priority in the engineering professions (also in other professions). The self evaluation of the overall knowledge and skills relevant to the generic skills by the graduate engineers indicated that they perceived that they had adequate skills in carrying out their tasks in their workplaces. The engineering managers also rated the graduate engineers as satisfactory in performing their tasks in their workplaces.

How educators educate the Hong Kong students will determine the Hong Kong’s competitiveness and its future. Strategic improvements such as stressing the importance of communications in both English and Chinese (Putonghua), problem-solving techniques, inter-personal skills and team building, creative thinking, work integrity and ethics, would seem to be validated by the results which showed agreement in theses areas across industry (engineering managers), graduate engineers and academics. The prospect of the graduate engineers having possessing the basic generic skills would support a better career planning prospect. Moreover, the fact that all graduate engineers felt that they do not have adequate knowledge and skills in certain specific areas of the generic skills, and the same opinions were supported by the engineering managers, clearly suggest a need for further planning and appropriate continuous education and training. A life-long learning, self-motivation and sense of self-efficacy are a must in order to meet the new challenges of this changing world.