The Future of Human Factors: Expanding Opportunities in Higher Education

There has been much relevant research on future human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) professionals’ and their employers’ shifting expectations and changing university curricula. Both ever-evolving technology and the dynamics of workplaces mean that this work is never complete, and a gap between education and industry preparedness remains a persistent problem. A current trend in U.S. colleges is increasing curricular flexibility, with many elective courses students may take toward their degrees. This research expanded an earlier project to automate the review of university course catalogs for relevant courses students in any major could take as electives and thus help expand the education of future professionals beyond formal HF/E degree programs. We also surveyed of HF/E professionals in the industry who are in a position to recruit, hire, or supervise new human factors professionals and asked them to assess the most important knowledge, skills, and abilities college graduates entering the HF/E profession.