Could a change of paradigm be developed in future designers (students) to incorporate people at the original concept stage of the design cycle to create safe design? An action research project with a transdisciplinary approach was used to embed an ergonomics philosophy within the technical framework of the engineering design cycle for engineering students . This paper reports the learning from five cycles within a transdisciplinary environment. The learning model has positively impacted on the practice of current students. The most encouraging findings from this research were that undergraduate interventions did change the professional practice paradigm of early career engineers. The research also lays the foundation for developing continuing professional education models for current professionals, which refocuses the design process on human centred engineering design.