Engineering graduate students face increasing employment pressure in the Industry 4.0 era, as industries prioritize applied competence over purely theoretical expertise. This study identifies insufficient practical experience as the central problem limiting graduates' workplace readiness. Empirical data from 52 graduate students across two cohorts show that only 26.9% of participants considered the curriculum closely aligned with engineering practice, and approximately 70% reported limited discussion of cutting-edge industrial applications in class. Key causes include a theory-centered curriculum, verification-focused laboratories, and single-mode summative assessment. Based on the course Plastic Deformation of Metals and Alloys as a case, which enrolls students from Materials Science and Engineering, Materials and Chemical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, this mixed-methods study proposes a three-pronged framework: curricular enrichment, pedagogical diversification, and multi-faceted assessment, to translate abstract knowledge into applied capability. Strategies include interdisciplinary industry-linked modules, flipped and project-based learning with simulation labs and industry projects, and a blended evaluation scheme combining formative checkpoints and summative outputs. Following the diagnostic findings, a preliminary version of this framework was implemented in the subsequent academic year, and post-implementation survey data from 31 students provide preliminary evidence that the measures strengthened students' perceived connection between course theory and industrial practice. The study offers an evidence-based diagnosis, a theory-driven reform design, and preliminary before-after implementation data showing gains across key perception dimensions, providing a design reference that other similar courses may adapt to their own contexts.

Al Mamun, M. A., Azad, M. A. K., Al Mamun, M. A., & Boyle, M. (2022). Review of flipped learning in engineering education: Scientific mapping and research horizon. Education and Information Technologies, 27(1), 1261–1286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10630-z

Alogla, A. A. (2026). Engineering curriculum redesign for sustainable careers: A process mapping approach in higher education. Journal of Umm Al-Qura University for Engineering and Architecture, 17(1), 183–196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43995-025-00229-7 

Baig, M. I., & Yadegaridehkordi, E. (2023). Flipped classroom in higher education: A systematic literature review and research challenges. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20(1), 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00430-5 

Beagon, U., & Bowe, B. (2023). Understanding professional skills in engineering education: A phenomenographic study of faculty conceptions. Journal of Engineering Education, 112(4), 1109–1144. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20556 

Brink, S. C., de Hei, M., Sjoer, E., Carlsson, C. J., Georgsson, F., Keller, E., McCartan, C., Enelund, M., Lyng, R., & Admiraal, W. (2025). Curriculum agility principles for transformative innovation in engineering education. European Journal of Engineering Education, 50(3), 455–471. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2024.2398165 

Cheng, E. W. L. (2022). Revisiting the concept of values taught in education through Carroll's corporate social responsibility. Sustainability, 14(18), 11280. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811280 

Du Plessis, D. J., Angula, N., Du Plessis, C. C., & Tokwe, C. (2024). The impact of university-industry collaboration on graduate employability after COVID-19: A literature review. International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration, 10(6), 30–41. https://doi.org/10.18775/jmsba.1849-5664-5419.2014.106.1003 

Ferreira, C., Gabriel, B., Valente, R., & Figueiredo, C. (2024). Engineering education challenges and strengths: Reflecting on key-stakeholder's perspectives. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1297267. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1297267 

González-Pérez, L. I., & Ramírez-Montoya, M. S. (2022). Components of Education 4.0 in 21st century skills frameworks: Systematic review. Sustainability, 14(3), 1493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031493 

Graham, R. (2018). The global state of the art in engineering education. MIT New Engineering Education Transformation. https://rhgraham.org/resources/Global-state-of-the-art-in-engineering-education---March-2018.pdf 

Hossen, M. A., Misbauddin, S. M., Molla, C., Nabi, M. N. U., & Sakib, M. N. (2025). Decoding university–industry collaboration: A SEM-ANN quadruple helix approach. Future Business Journal, 11, 236. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-025-00655-y 

Huang, Y., Yuan, Y., Sun, W., & Li, P. (2025). From classroom to workplace: How entrepreneurship education influences university students' employability. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, 1108. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05316-7 

Ke, W., Wei, Y., Hu, C., Ma, Y., Lu, D., Kou, L., & Huang, Y. (2024). Study on engineering capability cultivation of postgraduate with university-enterprise joint projects. Engineering Education Review, 2(2), 92–100. https://doi.org/10.54844/eer.2024.0602 

López-Pérez, M. V., Pérez-López, M. C., & Rodríguez-Ariza, L. (2011). Blended learning in higher education: Students' perceptions and their relation to outcomes. Computers & Education, 56(3), 818–826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.023 

Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. (2024). Graduate employment and education quality report. Higher Education Press.

Oliveira, K. K. D. S., & De Souza, R. A. C. (2022). Digital transformation towards education 4.0. Informatics in Education, 21(2), 283–309. https://doi.org/10.15388/infedu.2022.13 

Puertas, E. (2022). Assessment strategies in mixed learning applied in IT engineering and mathematics studies. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 12(3), 567–577. https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.1708 

Shah, R., & Gillen, A. L. (2024). A systematic literature review of university-industry partnerships in engineering education. European Journal of Engineering Education, 49(3), 577–603. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2023.2253741 

Srivani, V., Hariharasudan, A., Nawaz, N., & Ratajczak, S. (2022). Impact of Education 4.0 among engineering students for learning English language. PLoS One, 17(2), e0261717. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0261717 

Suárez, F., Mosquera Feijóo, J. C., Chiyón, I., & Alberti, M. G. (2021). Flipped learning in engineering modules is more than watching videos: The development of personal and professional skills. Sustainability, 13(21), 12290. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132112290 

Tee, P. K., Wong, L. C., Dada, M., Song, B. L., & Ng, C. P. (2024). Demand for digital skills, skill gaps and graduate employability: Evidence from employers in Malaysia. F1000Research, 13, 389. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.148514.1 

UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379701 

Xu, L. (2024). Innovative interdisciplinary models in engineering education: Transforming practices across global universities. Engineering Education Review, 2(3), 129–144. https://doi.org/10.54844/eer.2024.0846 

Zhan, S., Chapman, E., Valentine, A., & Male, S. (2026). Enhancing the measurement of employability in engineering: Insights from a systematic literature review. European Journal of Engineering Education, 51(1), 172–191. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2025.2502473 

Zhuang, T., & Zhou, H. (2023). Developing a synergistic approach to engineering education: China's national policies on university–industry educational collaboration. Asia Pacific Education Review, 24(1), 145–165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-022-09743-y