The evaluation of quality engineers' formation by analyzing the specific skills.

Georgescu, Luminita ; Ispas, Constantin ; Barbu, Madalina 等

1. INTRODUCTION

There is a currently request for skills and qualifications existing on the market field. It is addressed to all the universities. They analyze the request and transform it into training strategies and programs of studies. (Rosca, Gh. 2007)

The development of the needed skills is the general objective of education. It can be achieved by reaching the following aims: getting new knowledge and skills, maintaining and developing the old ones, shaping the behaviours and the attitudes which are needed in order to adapt to changes. (Georgescu, L. 2007).

2. ESTABLISHING THE SKILLS OF QUALITY ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT GRADUATES

The qualification of the QEM (Quality Engineering and Management) graduate (Fig. 1) is that of quality engineer, a qualification obtained as a result of the technical superior education formation. This qualification can be expressed in form of transversal and professional skills (Zaharia, S.E. 2007).

The categories of skills are written with the Latin numbers I, II. The subcategories of skills (role skills, development of personality skills, cognitive and function- action skills) are considered with numbers from 1 to 4. The first number, x, will indicate the subcategory and the second number, y will indicate the position of the skill in the respective subcategory.

3. SKILLS EVALUATION

There are many study objects which contribute to the development of each skill, each of it, in a certain degree. We calculated the averages [M.sub.p]xy for each skill xy separately. We took into account the marks received by every subject at a certain study object and the importance of that object in the development of the analyzed skill. The used formula was:

[M.sub.p]xy = [summation][N.sun.i] x [P.sub.j]/[summation]Pj (1)

Where: [N.sub.i]--The mark acquired at a certain study object;

i=1/17--The total number of study objects;

Pj--The importance of the study object in analyzing the respective skill;

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

The average values obtained by the analyzed subjects represent the degree in which the skills have been reached. The results are presented in figure 2 and figure 3. (Georgescu, L. 2008)

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]

4. DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULTS

Comparing the subcategories in fig. 2, we can observe that, from what the role skills are concerned, eleven subjects have obtained marks between 7 and 10; only four subjects have obtained marks over 7 from what the personal and professional skills are concerned. Other three subjects have developed their basic, general education, but they didn't reach a proficiency degree higher than 7.

With reference to the professional skills (fig. 3), six of the subjects have received marks over 7 at each of the skills from the two subcategories (cognitive and function--action skills), (http://humanscience.wikia.com/wiki/Employment_trends_in_th e_21st). Other six subjects have theoretic notions regarding the quality system but they are not so able to apply the theory into practice.

The skills belonging to the personal and professional category have registered the weakest values. A basic explanation could be that there are many general study subjects which contribute to the development of this type of skills. These general disciplines are most of all studied in the first two university years, considered too early and at a considerable distance from the specialization subjects which are being studied in the late years. Another explanation could be that the students find it rather difficult to adapt to the university system.

The number of students who achieved the standards of skills imposed by the employer (average of minimum 7) is represented in fig. 4.

[FIGURE 4 OMITTED]

The understanding and the acceptation of the quality system are very important for the development of the professional skills. It is essential to understand the elaboration and the evaluation of the documents, the utilization of the inspection and control techniques, all of these representing the "weapons" the quality engineer needs in his career.

5. CONCLUSIONS

At present, there are more and more countries preoccupied to create a good relationship between the educational system and the needs of the work market (http://www.see-educoop.net). Individuals, as well as organizations feel the need for education. The individuals are transmitters of the educational request as well as they are receivers of information.

The adaptation of the educational system to the needs of students' plans (the simultaneous study of general and specialization subjects), allowing the students to perform practice activities in companies which have a highly developed quality system (in order to understand the specific notions) in conjunction with a good professional counselling. Consultancy for the students which may encounter adaptation problems is proposed in order to improve the analyzed skills.

The novelty brought by this paper is represented by the methodology which establishes the degree in which the skills required by the technical universities are achieved.

6. REFERENCES

Rosca, Gh. (2007). Romania in the European Union. Quality of integration. Growth. Ability. Occupation, symposium dedicated to the Economist's Day, Bucharest

Zaharia, S.E. (2007). The Present State of the National Qualifications. Framework for Higher Education in Romania, paper conference Dublin

Georgescu, L. (2008). Research regarding the improvement of human resources in the context of industrial systems, Bucharest

*** http://humanscience.wikia.com/wiki/Employment_trends_in _the_21st, Accessed on: 2009- 01-16

*** http://www.see-educoop.net/ education_in/pdf/commun-from-commision-oth-rmn-t02.htm, Accessed on: 2008- 1125