International Training Survey of U.S. Engineers and Constructors

Abstract

This article summarizes an investigation to determine which areas in the training of U.S. expatriate engineers and constructors are viewed by foreign engineers and construction personnel as inadequate, and to provide information on the areas that are affecting the competitiveness of U.S. firms in the global marketplace. This paper presents information generated by a study of working relationships of foreign and U.S. engineering and construction professionals. The main objective is to quantify evaluations performed by foreign nationals from engineering and construction firms from three East Asian countries, who worked on joint venture projects, or as consultants to U.S. firms, and to determine whether the training that U.S. engineering and construction professionals receive prior to overseas assignments is adequate to prepare them to work in foreign environments. This study also addresses the issue of whether the perceptions of foreign nationals differ by their occupation, by working relationship with U.S. expatriates, and by the position of the U.S. expatriates.