Rethinking Engineering Pathways Psychological Factors Influencing Pakistani Pre-Engineering Students’ Educational and Career Choices in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been changing the landscape of higher education and career choices in Pakistan, especially for the batch of pre-engineering students who have historically considered engineering as the most viable career option. In this study, the researchers study how pre-engineering students in Pakistan perceive, assess and discuss new educational and career opportunities of AI in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It emphasizes students' awareness of AI, their perceived employability, influence of parents and institutions, career counseling access, and continued social value of traditional engineering degrees. According to the article, AI is not just taking the place of engineering dreams but reshaping them into a new hybrid, with a combination of computing, automation, data science and innovation-related jobs. The study brings to the fore the need to strengthen existing counselling systems, Psychological Factors.  reimagine the curriculum, and implement policy support to ensure pre-engineering education better reflects the reality of the future job market in the rapidly evolving digital economy and society of Pakistan.