Soft Skill Development Via Chem-E-Car Project

Feedback from the industrial stake holders indicates that soft skills such as communication, teamwork and independent learning are required from the graduates in addition to good technical competency. Traditional curriculum delivery through lectures, assignment and projects does not provide adequate opportunity and avenue for students to develop their soft skills. Innovation on the traditional curriculum delivery is required to make learning more interesting and provide opportunity for development of soft skills. The department of chemical and process engineering (JKKP), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia has been organizing Chem–E-Car competition since 2005 where student's participation is not mandatory and typically involves 2nd and 3rd year students. Students are given full freedom to choose their team member, to select the type of fuel or propulsion system and design their cars. These activities were carried out over a period of one and half month culminated with the Poster Presentation and Car competition. The top three teams that emerge winners from this competition represent UKM at the national level Chem-E-Car competition, an annual event organized by The Institution of Engineers Malaysia. The Chem-E-Car competition has been observed to provide opportunity for students to develop their soft skills such as team work, independent learning and communications. Thus, JKKP decided to formalize this event and integrated it into curriculum delivery as early as the first year through The Introduction to Chemical and Biochemical Engineering course beginning at the 2007-2008 academic year. This paper highlights the implementation on Chem-E-Car as part of the learning activities and the impacts on the students in their effort to achieve the learning outcomes. Over that past two academic sessions, the students have shown serious commitment and participation in this activity. The Chem-E-Car competition provides excellent opportunity for students to develop their soft skills.