Project Management Competences for Next Engineers in the Industry 4.0 Era. A Case Study

In the context of training in engineering and technology in the Industry 4.0 era, project competences’ acquisition must start from the trainer’s perspective as a counselor, facilitator, and sponsor of trainees’ learning. This means minimizing master classes to promote their autonomy and collaborative work, not being possible to ensure their development through traditional evaluations. In a recession context (Spain, Andalusia, and Cadiz) with low growth and high youth unemployment rate, it is intended to promote future engineers’ entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation. Within this framework, the study reviews the models that highlight the ways of teaching and learning in project management subjects in the engineering degrees of the industrial branch (chemistry, electricity, electronics, industrial design and product development, mechanics, and industrial technology) offered by the University of Cadiz (UCA). This selects project-based learning (PBL), in which learners are the main characters, who evolve through experimentation. This research consists of three stages. In a first phase, education in entrepreneurship is encouraged. Next, culture of innovative entrepreneurship is promoted, propitiating the conditions for the (simulated) creation of innovative companies. Finally, those proposals that potentially contribute to Cadiz improving its business deficit in technological sectors are selected.