The Fourth Industrial Revolution demands an urgent reconfiguration of the production engineer's profile, expanding their role to emerging non-traditional sectors (such as health, finance, logistics, and technology) and increasing the demand for digital, analytical, and socio-emotional (intrapreneurial) skills. This article investigates the historical evolution of Production Engineering, using mixed methods, and analyzes the skills required by the market. The research combined a systematic literature review (Scopus and Web of Science databases) and document analysis of 528 job postings in Brazil, complemented by an international survey (Canada, France, Portugal, and Spain) and labor mobility data in the European Union. The results show that, in addition to technical skills, intrapreneurial mindset and behavioral competencies stand out, exposing a discrepancy (paradox) in traditional academic training. It is concluded that curricular updating is fundamental and should incorporate active methodologies and entrepreneurial practices to align training with the demands of Industry 4.0 and with policies on professional mobility and competitiveness in the global scenario.