Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to identify the role of the engineer in the evolution of the market economy. This identification made it possible to present the engineer’s new roles in the creativity-based economy emerging in the first decade of the 21st century. These roles require changes in the widely understood engineering education process. We believe that one of the fundamental tools in this education should be a creative workshop, being the space for shaping innovative, enterprising and social competences, attitudes and behavior. The evolution of the engineer’s role is the natural consequence of changes taking place in the economy. More and more significance in various domains of the economy is played by information techniques, the transfer of technology, integrated management systems, the need to increase quality and productivity as well as the workplace culture. This evolution forces the need for a comprehensive education for engineers who will have a substantial impact on the level of innovativeness and competitiveness of the Polish economy.