How to Better Prepare Technical Communication Students in an Evolving Field: Perspectives from Academic Program Directors, Practitioners, and Recent Graduates

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to address the changing identity of the technical communication (TC) field based on how it's defined, what hard and soft skills are needed, what courses are beneficial, and how to best prepare students for the evolving workplace.
Method: We interviewed 15 technical communicators in three different categories (academic program directors, practitioners, and recent graduates) and analyzed the interviews to determine if technical communicators have similar perspectives about the field.
Results: Findings showed inconsistencies among the definition of TC, the required skills for students entering the workplace, the field's outlook, the value of professional development, the courses, and requirements of academic programs in TC.
Conclusion: The hybrid perspectives on these important questions challenge the framework for how we have traditionally considered these questions. This study provides additional context into how the academic field sees TC, how practitioners see it, and whether or not students are prepared for the workforce after graduation based on the coursework they have completed and the skills they have gained.