New graduates striving to become successful engineers must use communication to interact with superiors and colleagues. This paper reports the results of a four-year development program using the capstone design course as a driver for developing engineers? communication skills. Faculty assessment of the program, as well as post-graduation feedback from the programs graduates, is included. Significant benefits from this approach include preparing students to enter a communication-based engineering workplace through a just-in-time learning experience that enhances students, buy-in to the material. Programmatic advantages include having a curriculum that supports ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) 2000 ideals.