Building Resilient Skillset
for the work of tomorrow
Dr. Jane Goodyer
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Building Resilient Skillset
“Learning never stops… it’s continuous. And it has to be connected to the real world.”
- Dr. Jane Goodyer
Listen at:
A Path Forged by Resilience
A Path Forged by Resilience
Before she was a dean reimagining engineering education, Jane Goodyer was a teenager navigating loss, uncertainty, and the unknown. University wasn’t even in her vocabulary.
Jane’s first nudge toward engineering came from her stepmother who had learned to read in her forties and saw education as a lifeline.
“She understood the value of education… and she was encouraging me at school.”
Those early choices - and the UK’s then-free education - opened a door that reshaped her life. She became a production engineer, then a researcher, and eventually an educator driven by one calling: to transform lives through learning.
“I had to do some teaching, and that’s how I got to learn how wonderful it is to pass on knowledge to people and transform their lives.”
Why Work-Integrated Learning Matters
Why Work-Integrated Learning Matters
Jane believes learning sticks when theory meets practice.
“Work integrated learning… you’re seeing it—really, that’s what that means.”
Unlike traditional lectures, this approach embeds real-world projects into academic programs, creating active learning environments where students can’t hide—they learn by doing.
Building Resilience and Human Skills
Building Resilience and Human Skills
Tomorrow’s engineers need more than technical expertise.
“To be empathetic… communication… being curious… and being self-aware.”
These “soft skills” are hard to teach, but essential for navigating change and fostering psychological safety in teams.
Collaboration That Counts
Collaboration That Counts
Through York’s Trailblazer process, Jane brought industry and academia together to co-design programs. The surprise? Employers wanted more than tools—they wanted adaptability and critical thinking.
“They were very interested in the ability for people to learn new… anticipate things that haven’t been anticipated.”
Her Advice for Future Engineers
Her Advice for Future Engineers
“Be curious. Don’t accept the status quo. Be brave… Life doesn’t work like a five-year plan—just do your best and figure it out.”
Listen at:
Soft Skills Are Essential
Soft Skills Are Essential
In Jane’s world, technical skill is table stakes. What distinguishes resilient engineers are the human capacities that shape judgment and collaboration.
“To be empathetic… communication… being curious… and being self-aware.”
She’s clear: these aren’t extras—they’re essential.
Empathy underpins psychological safety. Active listening enables teams to learn from incidents without blame. Curiosity keeps you scanning the horizon, ready to adapt without fear.
Things to listen for:
Jane’s Origin Story
Her working-class background and early challenges
How resilience shaped her journey.
Work-Integrated Learning Explained
Why it’s more than internships or co-ops.
Active vs. passive learning and why doing matters.
Resilience for the Future of Work
Why adaptability and psychological safety are essential.
Soft Skills as Hard Skills
Empathy, communication, curiosity, and self-awareness
Industry-Academia Collaboration
The Trailblazer process and what employers really want.
Continuous Learning Beyond Graduation
Breaking silos between education and work.
Advice for Engineers
Be curious, brave, and true to your values.
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