Engineering graduation: why introduce sustainability

Abstract

This article exposes the importance of training engineers who, since graduation, have in depth knowledge in both practical and theoretical areas of social, environmental and economic issues, including sustainability in its entirety. Through a bibliographical review of the existing materials in this context and the results obtained through researches, it was possible to confirm the theories addressed throughout the text. The pertinence of this article comes from the need to control the progress of the destruction of the environment that is directly influenced by the practice of the Engineering profession. The engineer, because of his active participation in the changes in the environment in which he lives, has increasingly felt the need to adapt to the new world reality, which requires, both socially and economically, the introduction of sustainability in the practice of the profession. From this, we have succeeded in researches that demonstrated, through data and graphs, the growing requisition of the economic market for environmental certificates such as ISO 14001: 2015, used in Brazil, which had its emission intensified around 544% in the period of 2016 to 2017. However, with a survey conducted at the Polytechnic School of Pernambuco, it was possible to note that only an average of 1.94% of the engineering curriculum is intended for sustainability education, thus confirming the importance of upgrading university programmes. In addition to this innovation in the faculties, it is necessary to live the principles of sustainability, as in the concept of "living laboratory", in which engineering undergraduate institutions become the means that allows and provides the insertion in the labor market , of a conscientious professional in relation to the sustainability pillars, including the social, environmental and economic spheres.