Shaping Tomorrow: Skills for Innovators and Problem Solvers
The engineering profession is changing at a pace few could have predicted even a decade ago. Automation, energy transition, digital transformation and new ways of working are reshaping the expectations placed on modern engineers. While technical competence will always remain the backbone of the industry, the conversation is shifting. Employers and senior engineers increasingly highlight something bigger: the behaviours, thinking patterns, and collaborative traits that determine whether someone thrives in a complex, evolving environment.
“Shaping Tomorrow: Skills for Innovators and Problem Solvers” was built around this idea. Hosted by the IET Victoria Network at Monash University, the session brought together students, graduates, and industry leaders for an honest discussion about what engineers need not only to succeed today, but to stay relevant in the decades ahead. The speakers—ranging from graduate engineers to directors of transformation—offered a rare view into what employers truly value and where the profession is heading.
While the panel represented different industries, from healthcare to data-driven transformation, their messages converged: engineering success now relies on a blend of systems thinking, communication, creative problem-solving, resilience, and continuous learning. These aren’t “soft” skills; they are strategic capabilities that determine whether an engineer can adapt, lead and influence meaningful change.
This article distils the core insights from the event and frames them through a practical lens—one that benefits early-career engineers and experienced professionals alike.
Engineering Beyond the Blueprint: Understanding the System
One of the strongest messages from the speakers was that modern engineering is no longer just about designing a component or completing a single technical task. It is about understanding how decisions flow through an entire system—commercial, operational, environmental, and human.
This type of thinking is often called systems thinking, and employers increasingly consider it essential. Graduates entering industry today quickly discover that technical decisions rarely stand alone. A design choice affects cost. A process change affects safety. A new piece of equipment affects maintenance planning, workforce training, sustainability targets, and supply-chain pressures.
When asked about the most valuable skill an engineer can develop early in their career, multiple speakers emphasised the ability to “step back and see the wider picture.” It means being able to connect dots across disciplines, anticipate consequences, and spot risks before they grow. It also means challenging assumptions—not in a confrontational way, but constructively, by questioning how and why decisions are made.
For students and new engineers, this often begins simply: asking questions. The panel made it clear that curiosity is not only welcome, but expected. In organisations working across energy, health, technology or infrastructure, the engineers who move forward fastest are those who take the time to understand not just their task, but its purpose.
Communication: The Skill That Elevates Every Other Skill
The speakers agreed that communication is no longer a “nice to have”—it is the skill that determines how effectively technical knowledge is applied in the real world.
Being technically brilliant but unable to explain your reasoning, influence a decision or share an insight is no longer enough.
Communication in engineering now means:
- explaining complex ideas without jargon
- adapting your message to the person in front of you
- understanding commercial, operational, and strategic perspectives
- contributing clearly in meetings
- presenting technical decisions with confidence
- writing reports that are easy to understand and act upon
One speaker described it perfectly: “If you can’t communicate it, you can’t lead it.”
This does not mean every engineer must become a polished public speaker. It means practising clarity. It means listening carefully, identifying what matters most to your audience, and making your message work for them—not just for the technical ideal.
Effective communication also strengthens collaboration. Engineering workforces today are more interdisciplinary than ever, bringing together mechanical, electrical, digital, software and operational teams. Productivity depends on clarity. When communication breaks down, costs rise, schedules slip, and avoidable mistakes occur.
Diverse Thinking: Why Innovation Depends on Multiple Perspectives
Innovation rarely comes from linear thinking. It comes from teams who see a problem from different angles. One of the strongest themes from the event was the importance of diverse thinking—not just demographic diversity, but diversity of thought, background, training and lived experience.
Several speakers emphasised that breakthrough ideas often come from the individual who sees the world slightly differently. A background in healthcare may spark a solution in the energy sector. Someone with experience outside engineering may spot a customer insight that a technical team missed. A first-year graduate may ask a question that challenges a long-held assumption.
This isn’t accidental. Organisations that cultivate different thinking styles often outperform those that prioritise sameness. Diversity enables innovation because it disrupts autopilot decision-making. It forces teams to justify their logic, adapt their reasoning, and test their ideas.
For engineers entering the workforce, this means embracing unfamiliar perspectives. It means recognising that technical expertise is essential, but rarely sufficient on its own. And it means building relationships with people who think differently.
Curiosity and Lifelong Learning: Staying Relevant in a Changing World
The engineering landscape is transforming faster than at any point in modern history. AI, robotics, electrification, renewable energy systems, digital twins, automation, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing—every discipline is evolving.
One of the panelists summed it up well: “There are no stupid questions. The only bad question is the one you didn’t ask.”
Curiosity drives innovation. It is also what keeps engineers relevant over long careers. Skills that were essential five years ago may already be outdated. Tools and technologies that seemed optional are now standard. Learning is no longer something engineers do occasionally—it is part of the job.
This emphasis on adaptability is especially important for early-career professionals who are only just starting to understand the full scope of engineering practice. Graduates who show enthusiasm for learning, even when the subject is new or uncomfortable, are often the ones who advance the fastest.
The takeaway was clear: technical skill opens the door, but a willingness to stay curious keeps it open.
Resilience, Attitude, and the Human Side of Engineering
Engineering includes pressure, uncertainty, iteration and failure. The speakers were open about the fact that not every project runs smoothly, and not every idea succeeds.
That’s why resilience—and the attitude behind it—plays such a significant role in long-term career success.
Key behaviours include:
- staying composed under pressure
- learning from setbacks rather than internalising them
- being willing to recalibrate and try again
- maintaining professionalism even when outcomes aren’t ideal
- seeking feedback rather than avoiding it
Several speakers mentioned that the best engineers they’ve worked with were not always the most technically gifted. They were the ones who stayed curious, stayed steady, and stayed adaptable. Their ability to learn, reflect, and reset is what set them apart.
From Insight to Action: Skills That Shape the Next Generation
The event made one thing clear: engineering is no longer defined by technical capability alone. The future belongs to those who combine strong technical understanding with human-centred thinking—engineers who can collaborate, communicate, innovate, and adapt.
For students, this means seeking experiences that develop these broader skills: teamwork, presentations, problem-solving tasks, industry placements, volunteering, or hands-on projects.
For early-career engineers, it may mean stepping outside your comfort zone, shadowing colleagues in other departments, or taking on responsibilities that stretch your capability.
For experienced engineers, it is a reminder that leadership and mentorship are now central components of technical excellence. In every case, the message was clear: the engineers who succeed are those who see learning as continuous and curiosity as essential.
