The outbreak and rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, commonly known as COVID-19, has led to a loss of life, widely spread economic consequences, and changed behavior in many, if not all, sectors of society. One such sector is institutes for higher education. Against this backdrop, in this paper, we aim to study how engineering training was affected at the beginning of this global pandemic. The point of departure in the paper is the students' perceptions. Our study is based on survey responses from students from Singapore, Sweden and Taiwan. Three themes were identified in the results: a) issues related to transitioning from the physical classroom to an online environment, b) examination activities, and c) perceptions about the future. As such, this paper contributes with first-hand experiences and reflections on engineering training during a global crisis.