<p>The wake of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a compulsory lockdown of most in-person university facilities, leading higher educational institutes to shift the learning process to a completely online mode. This pivot towards remote learning has its drawbacks: Online learning substantially diminishes any experiment-based learning in laboratories, and this impact is likely worse in hands-on, applied fields, such as engineering. This conceptual work presents an in-depth review of the experience and quality of an undergraduate engineering education learning experience, where every component comprising the learning experience (lectures, labs, and assessments) is delivered completely online. Further, anchored in the experience of digital transformation in higher education, the paper presents recommendations on how online engineering education ought to be delivered to address the weaknesses that fully fledged online engineering presents. By employing two complementary theories—constructivism and socioculturalism—this review suggests that the online learning experience, particularly the virtual lab component, falls short of the intended learning outcomes. While virtual labs tend to enhance conceptual understanding and accessibility, they seem to be insufficient for developing hands-on skills, encouraging peer collaboration, and making real-world engineering decisions. On the other hand, hybrid models, supported by sound pedagogical frameworks and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, show the most promise in bridging this gap and equipping students for Industry 5.0.</p>