--- title: "New Report Highlights Why Communication Is Becoming a Core Engineering Skill" id: "11964" type: "post" slug: "why-communication-is-becoming-a-core-engineering-skill" published_at: "2026-07-13T15:22:07+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-13T15:46:19+00:00" url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/07/why-communication-is-becoming-a-core-engineering-skill-011964/" markdown_url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/07/why-communication-is-becoming-a-core-engineering-skill-011964.md" excerpt: "A newly released State of Technical Communication report reveals that the ability to communicate technical information clearly is becoming a key driver of engineering performance, innovation, and leadership." taxonomy_category: - "Business" - "Education & Training" - "Industry" - "Strategy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "communication" - "Engineering" - "Engineers" - "Presenting" - "Professional Development" - "SPE Webinar" - "Speaking" - "STEM" --- [Home](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/) » [News](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/news/) » [Industry](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/industry/) » New Report Highlights Why Communication Is Becoming a Core Engineering Skill # New Report Highlights Why Communication Is Becoming a Core Engineering Skill ### Study analyzes nearly one million words from 200 engineering leaders, founders, and STEM professionals. As engineering projects become more complex, cross-functional, and fast-moving, technical expertise alone is no longer enough. A newly released [State of Technical Communication report](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/The-State-of-Technical-Communication-Report.pdf) shows that communication is increasingly a key driver of engineering performance, innovation, and leadership effectiveness. The report synthesizes insights from approximately 200 [Teach the Geek podcast](https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/teachthegeek/) transcripts, totaling nearly one million words of qualitative data. Researchers used pattern recognition, thematic clustering, narrative analysis, cross-interview comparison, and recurrence frequency estimation to identify common experiences and communication challenges described by engineers, technical leaders, founders, and STEM professionals. ## What the Research Found One conclusion appeared repeatedly across interviews: **Technical expertise enables engineers to solve problems, but communication skills determine whether those solutions influence decisions, gain organizational support, and create measurable business impact.** Communication Maturity Model for Technical Professionals. Courtesy of [Teach the Geek](https://teachthegeek.com/) . Participants across industries and career stages described many of the same challenges: - Explaining complex technical concepts to nontechnical audiences - Presenting recommendations to executives - Aligning cross-functional teams - Leading through organizational change - Communicating confidently in high-visibility situations ## Why This Matters for Plastics Engineers For plastics engineers, these findings are especially relevant. Whether introducing a new polymer, defending a material selection, presenting test data, implementing process improvements, or leading sustainability initiatives, success often depends on how effectively technical information is communicated to colleagues, customers, suppliers, and decision-makers. In many organizations, engineers who can clearly connect material performance, processing data, cost implications, and business objectives are often the ones who gain influence and move into leadership roles. ## Growing Importance of Technical Communication in Engineering Leadership The report reinforces a broader trend across manufacturing and engineering: communication is becoming a core engineering competency, not an optional professional skill. As companies invest in advanced materials, automation, sustainability, and digital transformation, engineers are increasingly expected to collaborate across disciplines and communicate with stakeholders who may not share the same technical background. For plastics professionals, stronger communication skills can improve project alignment, accelerate decision-making, reduce misunderstandings, and help translate technical innovation into real-world results. ## More Insights Insights from the State of Technical Communication Report show that clarity, framing, and audience‑aligned communication help engineers reduce rework, improve cross‑functional alignment, and increase the visibility of their technical work. **[This complimentary, upcoming SPE webinar](https://www.4spe.org/teach-the-geek-how-great-communication-accelerates-decisionmaking-alignment-and-leadership-in-plastics-engineering/)** gives engineers practical strategies to translate complexity without oversimplifying, strengthen executive and customer communication, and build the leadership presence needed in high‑stakes technical environments. By **[Plastics Engineering](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/pe-anonymous/)** | July 13, 2026 ##### [Plastics Engineering](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/pe-anonymous/) [+ postsBio ⮌](#) Plastics Engineering keeps plastics professionals worldwide up to date on the latest trends and innovations in materials, equipment and process technologies that impact all aspects of product development and applications in the plastics industry. ### Other posts you could read [June 17, 2026Photothermal Curing Drives Advanced Thermoset Manufacturing](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/06/photothermal-curing-drives-advanced-thermoset-manufacturing-011421/) [July 7, 20263D Printed Artificial Muscles Advance Soft Robotics](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/07/3d-printed-artificial-muscles-advance-soft-robotics-011680/) [July 6, 2026Robotic Ultrasonic Welding Scales Fuselage Assembly](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/07/robotic-ultrasonic-welding-scales-fuselage-assembly-011672/) [July 8, 2026Why Recycled Plastics Face Limits in Building Products](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/07/why-recycled-plastics-face-limits-in-building-products-011720/) [June 15, 2026Optimizing Polymeric Coating Formulations Using AI](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/06/optimizing-polymeric-coating-formulations-using-ai-011408/) [June 18, 2026SC-PLA Nanospheres Revolutionize Smart Agrochemical Delivery](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/06/sc-pla-nanospheres-revolutionize-smart-agrochemical-delivery-011431/) [June 18, 2026How Regionalization Is Reshaping Polymer Trade Flows](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/06/how-regionalization-is-reshaping-polymer-trade-flows-011528/) [July 10, 20264D Printed PEEK Powers Self-Deploying Space Structures](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/07/4d-printed-peek-powers-self-deploying-space-structures-011687/) ## Share Your Thoughts [Cancel reply](/2026/07/why-communication-is-becoming-a-core-engineering-skill-011964/#respond) - [https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=11964&text=New+Report+Highlights+Why+Communication+Is+Becoming+a+Core+Engineering+Skill&via=Plastics_Mag](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=11964&text=New+Report+Highlights+Why+Communication+Is+Becoming+a+Core+Engineering+Skill&via=Plastics_Mag) - [https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=11964&t=New+Report+Highlights+Why+Communication+Is+Becoming+a+Core+Engineering+Skill](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=11964&t=New+Report+Highlights+Why+Communication+Is+Becoming+a+Core+Engineering+Skill) - [https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=11964&title=New%20Report%20Highlights%20Why%20Communication%20Is%20Becoming%20a%20Core%20Engineering%20Skill&summary=A+newly+released+State+of+Technical+Communication+report+reveals+that+the+ability+to+communicate+technical+information+clearly+is+becoming+a+key+driver+of+engineering+performance%2C+innovation%2C+and+leadership.&source=Plastics+Engineering](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=11964&title=New%20Report%20Highlights%20Why%20Communication%20Is%20Becoming%20a%20Core%20Engineering%20Skill&summary=A+newly+released+State+of+Technical+Communication+report+reveals+that+the+ability+to+communicate+technical+information+clearly+is+becoming+a+key+driver+of+engineering+performance%2C+innovation%2C+and+leadership.&source=Plastics+Engineering) - [https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=11964&title=New+Report+Highlights+Why+Communication+Is+Becoming+a+Core+Engineering+Skill](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=11964&title=New+Report+Highlights+Why+Communication+Is+Becoming+a+Core+Engineering+Skill) - [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ba4e8eef9f1fef8efa6cbf7fae8eff2f8e8bbdef5fcf2f5fefee9f2f5fcbbb6bbd5feecbbc9feebf4e9efbbd3f2fcf3f7f2fcf3efe8bbccf3e2bbd8f4f6f6eef5f2f8faeff2f4f5bbd2e8bbd9fef8f4f6f2f5fcbbfabbd8f4e9febbdef5fcf2f5fefee9f2f5fcbbc8f0f2f7f7bdf9f4ffe2a6f3efefebe8a1b4b4ecececb5ebf7fae8eff2f8e8fef5fcf2f5fefee9f2f5fcb5f4e9fcb4a4eba6aaaaa2adaf](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9ba4e8eef9f1fef8efa6cbf7fae8eff2f8e8bbdef5fcf2f5fefee9f2f5fcbbb6bbd5feecbbc9feebf4e9efbbd3f2fcf3f7f2fcf3efe8bbccf3e2bbd8f4f6f6eef5f2f8faeff2f4f5bbd2e8bbd9fef8f4f6f2f5fcbbfabbd8f4e9febbdef5fcf2f5fefee9f2f5fcbbc8f0f2f7f7bdf9f4ffe2a6f3efefebe8a1b4b4ecececb5ebf7fae8eff2f8e8fef5fcf2f5fefee9f2f5fcb5f4e9fcb4a4eba6aaaaa2adaf) - [#comments](#comments)