These questions are shaping how the University of Ottawa Faculty of Engineering educates the next generation of engineers and computer scientists.
The need to adapt is only growing. Prime Minister Mark Carney recently launched AI for All, Canada’s new national AI strategy. It aims to increase AI adoption across the economy, create AI-related jobs and expand AI skills and training opportunities for Canadians.
For students entering university today, one thing is clear: AI will be part of their professional future
How will AI affect the future of work?
Whenever a new technology emerges, concerns about jobs soon follow. AI is no exception.
While AI will undoubtedly change the nature of many careers, it’s less useful to focus on which jobs might disappear than on which new skills will become essential. Five years ago, generative AI tools were barely part of everyday conversations. Today, they’re helping professionals write code, analyze data, create content and automate routine tasks.
What will AI look like five years from now? No one knows for certain.
That uncertainty is exactly why universities must focus on teaching adaptable skills rather than training students for a single technology or platform.
At uOttawa Engineering, students are learning both how AI systems are built and how to use AI effectively, responsibly and critically. Whether a student pursues software engineering, biomedical mechanical engineering, civil engineering or another field entirely, understanding how to work alongside AI will be a valuable professional skill.
Because AI is becoming unavoidable, being able to collaborate with it is essential.
At the same time, the human side of work remains irreplaceable. Creativity, communication, leadership, ethics and critical thinking are skills that AI can’t replicate. The graduates who thrive will be those who can combine technical knowledge with these uniquely human strengths.
Learning through research and real-world applications
The Faculty of Engineering is also helping to shape the future of AI through cutting-edge research.
The new Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence serves as a hub for collaboration. It connects uOttawa researchers with industry, government and academic partners seeking to apply AI in practical settings. The centre supports projects across sectors including health care, telecommunications, manufacturing, finance, robotics and national security.
Rather than focusing on AI in isolation, researchers are exploring how it can solve real-world problems while remaining trustworthy, ethical and effective.
The centre also creates opportunities for students to learn from experts working at the frontiers of applied AI.
Flexible programs for an uncertain future
Preparing students for a rapidly evolving world means recognizing that career paths are becoming less predictable. That’s why flexibility is increasingly important in engineering education.
Programs such as multidisciplinary design give students the opportunity to customize their studies and build expertise across multiple areas of interest. In a future where technologies and industries continue to change, being able to combine disciplines and adapt to new challenges might be one of the most valuable skills a graduate can have. Rather than training for a single job title, students graduate with a toolkit that can evolve with their careers.
Or students can customize their studies with a dual fast-track degree in computing technology. Computing technology can be added to many undergraduate degrees, giving a tech angle to programs like civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and more.
For graduate students, the microprogram in interdisciplinary artificial intelligence offers the chance to gain deeper knowledge of machine learning, data science and the ethical and societal implications of AI — all in just four to eight months.
How is AI used in the classroom?
AI is already part of many students’ educational experiences, but its role varies from course to course and professor to professor.
Professors are encouraging students to think critically about how they use these tools. AI can be helpful for brainstorming ideas, identifying sources, explaining complex concepts or serving as a study aid. But it can’t replace genuine learning, problem-solving or original thinking.
The goal is not to have AI do the work for students. It’s to teach students how to use AI to enhance their learning while helping them develop the knowledge and judgment that employers will continue to value.
Prepare for the future with uOttawa
As AI transforms the world around us, the Faculty of Engineering is focused on preparing students not just for today’s technology but for tomorrow’s opportunities, whatever they may look like. Discover uOttawa Engineering’s undergraduate programs and graduate programs today.
