Future engineering skills, knowledge, and identity

What are the requirements engineers are going to meet in the future? We do not know – but we have some predictions based on the technological, scientific, and societal development. Normally, these requirement analyses are based on only the technological and scientific development. In this chapter, this traditional approach will be supplemented with socio-cultural considerations concerning the development of future societies. The point is that it is no longer enough to base development of engineering skills on trends in technological and scientific development – even though this approach in undergoing tremendous change. Engineers have to act and live as persons in a multicultural society where the requirements for global capacity are increasing. In order to be capable of social reproduction and production, the questions of identities become relevant for engineers both at a community level as well as at an individual level. The chapter will end by analyzing if the existing engineering education contributes to the outline of future skills.