Communication in Engineering: Future, Remnant of the Past?

Today, I see a lot of negative views in university about non-engineering courses. The typical targets of these remarks are History and Political Science, and last but not least, English. For most students, these topics are not relevant to them and their degrees, so most skip the classes, don't do their work on time, and grow a hatred towards their professors, especially when there is a huge course load that jeopardizes their other grades. "Why so many assignments for a class that doesn't contribute to my technical knowledge?".

I used to think that way, and I partially still do, but now I have more appreciation for writing, especially after engaging in research. Nowadays, if you plan to work in the industry, you will have to communicate between a lot of departments and through a lot of mediums to the point that you need to vary in technicality and conciseness. Furthermore, effective communication can make or break a project, especially when information has to go to stakeholders who make decisions that shape who survives and who doesn't. From all the various soft skills needed to be an engineer, communication is what makes the difference between a good and a great engineer.

I plan to continue my education in postgraduate studies, and as far as I am concerned, having good written papers that convey an idea to both people in and outside the field is very important. It doesn't just make science more accessible, but it also removes misinterpretation or doubts that the reader may get from effective communication. Furthermore, nowadays, with the prevalence of AI, where most people don't even bother to read the papers, more effective communication doesn't just make ChatGPT or whatever AI program you are using understand better, but it also eases reluctant readers into taking their time and at least skimming over the paper.

With tools like Grammarly, people don't even need to check their mistakes anymore and can find suggestions to write better, but that doesn't necessarily mean technical writing is dead. To use these tools effectively, one needs to know good technical writing, as they only offer suggestions. I am using it right now, and there is a good chance that this first blog comes out as a jumbled mess, as I don't know how to use it effectively. Finally, I think I should invest more time into good communication, especially after learning more about its academic and non-academic uses.