This is the second of four papers prepared for a special panel session of the National Collaborative Task Force on Engineering Graduate Education Reform that is focusing on the deliberate advancement of professional engineering graduate education to enhance the innovative capacity of the U.S. engineering workforce in industry for global competitiveness. Founded in 2000, the National Collaborative Task Force is an initiative of the ASEE-Graduate Studies Division, Corporate Members Council, and College Industry Partnership Division. The National Collaborative is comprised of leaders from industry, academia, and government all coming together to advance engineering education for the practice of engineering in the national interest. This paper describes the critical skills identified by industry as essential for early career development of engineers at the project management level and formulates an integrative educational approach leading to the professional Master of Engineering for responsible engineering leadership of systematic technology development & innovation.