Teaching software development skills: A workshop-based approach for an undergraduate program

This paper discusses a curriculum improvement initiative for Université Laval’s software engineering program, responding to industry feedback on graduates' practical skills. The initiative identified nine core competencies through consultations, leading to the development of 15 hands-on workshops. These workshops emphasize software development best practices, collaborative work, and tool usage, fostering student engagement and real-world applicability. The project was executed in three phases—inception, development, and deployment—resulting in positive qualitative feedback from students and faculty regarding enhanced learning and teamwork.