Course design contests as a tool to enhance professional skills of future civil engineers
Importance. The modern construction industry places high demands on engineering university graduates for immediate integration into production processes. However, traditional forms of education often fail to account for the dynamics of the materials and technology markets, creating a gap between academic understanding and actual practice. Therefore, the search for and validation of new pedagogical technologies, such as course design contests, capable of effectively integrating industrial demands into the educational environment, has become urgent. The purpose of the research is to study formation mechanisms of graduates’ professional readiness to work in the construction industry using the example of competitive design. Research Methods. The study is based on an analysis of the experience of the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU) in the implementation of industry-specific course design competitions, held jointly with leading manufacturer-employers. The study utilizes a comprehensive methodological framework, including a pedagogical research approach: developing a fourstage algorithm (problem formulation, design, defense, and reflection) and an empirical data collection method (anonymous student surveys). Results and Discussion. Course design contests have a positive impact on the professional competencies of future engineers. A participant survey revealed that the most significant results were achieved in the areas of learning modern building materials (4.7 points) and mastering specialized software (4.5 points). The results confirmed that the competitive format is an effective career launchpad for students: 85 % of respondents were able to supplement their portfolios with real-life case studies, and 40 % received internship invitations or job offers directly following their defense. Conclusion. Transforming coursework into a competitive activity allows for closer alignment of the educational process with the needs of the construction industry. The experience of Moscow State University of Civil Engineering demonstrates that close interaction with employers during the training process helps graduates adapt more quickly to real-life production conditions and increase their employment prospects.