Industrial engineering has played a key role in developing the world we know today.
After all, it was the collective effort of countless industrial engineers that gave rise to the industrial revolution.
So, it’s safe to say industrial engineering is a lucrative career path.
Here are 7 things you should know about it.
Let’s dive in!
Industrial Engineering Hard to Study?
Yes, industrial engineering to study since it requires a lot of applied math, particularly in the areas of probability, statistics, and algebra.
Industrial also involves challenging courses in linear and stochastic optimization are included in the industrial engineering curriculum.
Additionally, you will enroll in courses from across the board, including Electrical Engineering’s Basics of Circuits and Mechanical Engineering’s Thermodynamics and Statics, among others.
An industrial engineering degree is no doubt a challenging qualification to acquire.
Throughout your course, you will encounter several complex concepts and problems that will be difficult to deal with.
However, industrial engineering courses are not only intricate but are also quite extensive.
After all, industrial engineers need to be equipped with several skills to be able to work in a vast array of industries.
On the other hand, the fierce competition in the industrial engineering job market further adds to the difficulty of the degree.
However, you should know that industrial engineering is considered easier than other engineering degrees while being more or equally rewarding.
What’s best is that, over time, you will develop a passion for engineering that will allow you to enjoy the challenging aspects of your course.
What the Internet Is Say?
Yes, challenging courses in linear and stochastic optimization are included in the industrial engineering curriculum.
Additionally, you will enroll in courses from across the board, including EE’s Basics of Circuits and Mechanical’s Thermodynamics and Statics, among others.
Source: Quora
High school students interested in industrial engineering should take classes in mathematics, such as algebra, trigonometry, and calculus; computer science; and sciences, such as chemistry and physics.
Industrial engineering requires a lot of Math?
Industrial engineering does require a significant amount of math due to the nature of the field.
From designing facilities to analyzing industrial operations, almost every main responsibility of industrial engineers requires math.
Most industrial engineering courses teach students a wide range of mathematical concepts such as calculus, statistics, algebra, probability, and trigonometry.
However, the need for mathematics can vary a lot depending on the industry you pursue your career.
For instance, if you’re working in the manufacturing sector of an industry, you will need mathematical modeling and mechanics. However, if you work in the research sector, statistical mathematics becomes more important.
Industrial Engineering a Good Career?
Yes, Industrial engineering is a good career. After all, industrial engineering is one of the more prestigious and popular careers in the engineering sector.
Countless students pursue this career path each year to reap its rewards.
But what’s best is that the majority of students land impressive jobs just after graduation due to the rapidly growing demand.
From 2020 to 2030, the job demand for industrial engineering is expected to grow by 14%, which is faster than average.
Alongside kickstarting your career, industrial engineering can also provide job security, as the world will always need engineers for development and innovation.
Furthermore, financial stability and decent job satisfaction also prove industrial engineering to be a rewarding career.
Every day at Work for Industrial Engineers
Industrial engineers carry out a diverse range of tasks each day. However, their main responsibilities include designing production operations while keeping productivity, accuracy, and efficiency in mind.
As a result, on a common day, an engineer might analyze a company’s production processes, review its schedule, and come up with ways to improve it.
For this purpose, industrial engineers need to use their analytical and statistical skills and identify issues to fix while ensuring the highest quality of production.
Alongside identifying issues, industrial engineers might also review the orders for certain parts and machinery that might be used in a process.
However, industrial engineers don’t work alone.
They often need to communicate with clients and companies to understand their requirements for production and explain the improvements they can make.
In addition, industrial engineers also collaborate with other engineers daily to develop production processes.
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Career paths for Industrial Engineers
One of the best things about industrial engineering is the diversity of career opportunities. Almost every modern industry requires industrial engineers to handle and improve their operations. As a result, as an industrial engineer, you will be able to explore countless areas.
Mechanical engineering is one of the most popular and lucrative career paths for those with industrial engineering qualifications.
These professionals are involved in the design of a wide range of machines, such as home appliances and large-scale machinery.
Due to their importance in development, mechanical engineers enjoy high demand and good job benefits.
Furthermore, you can also become an energy efficiency engineer as an industrial engineer.
Working with large-scale companies, builders, and government power plants, energy efficiency engineers help to reduce energy waste.
Another lucrative career path for industrial engineers is quality engineering.
Top-notch companies hire industrial engineers to ensure their company runs under high-quality processes and provides reliable products or services.
Additionally, you can also become a cost estimator. Industrial engineers are well-versed with the expenses of materials, labor, and time that will be needed to finish a certain project.
As a result, companies often hire them for such purposes at high salaries.
Skills Needed for Industrial Engineering
Industrial engineers need to possess a wide range of skills to land rewarding jobs in several industries. Mathematical skills are the most important ones as they are used daily in countless different tasks.
However, mathematical knowledge is not the only component of such skills.
Engineers must possess exceptional problem-solving, analytical, and logical reasoning skills to take care of their responsibilities.
Furthermore, industrial engineers must also be equipped with scientific and technical skills such as computer programming.
Engineers often have to use computer software to aid them with design. However, soft skills such as communication, leadership, and teamwork are equally important.
Does Industrial Engineering Pay Well?
Yes, Industrial engineering does pay well with the average wage being as high as $95,300 per year. This is almost $40,000 more than the average wage of an individual living in the US.
Not many careers offer such high salaries.
What’s even better is that the salary of an industrial engineer can continue to grow with career advancement. It’s easy to reach six figures soon after graduation.
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Industrial Engineering Dying?
Industrial engineering is not dying. It’s continuing to grow at a fast pace, as the world develops. But more importantly, the fast growth of industrial engineering is reliable and stable.
Unlike other fields of work, industrial engineering will never die out as the world will always need engineers for development. As one industrial revolution ends, another starts.
Pros and Cons of Industrial Engineering
To see both sides of industrial engineering, it’s best to understand its pros and cons.
Below are some of the pros of this profession.
- Industrial engineers enjoy a high demand despite the growing competition in the job market.
- High salaries that often go up to six figures are quite common for those in this profession.
- Industrial engineers have the opportunity to work in a range of exciting fields.
- Industrial engineers can also jump from one industry to other thanks to their transferable skills.
- Job satisfaction tends to be high for industrial engineers due to good salaries and job benefits.
- As an industrial engineer, you get the chance to change the world by aiding the new industrial revolution.
- More importantly, industrial engineers help make the world safer by developing better products and processes.
- You can enjoy several career advancement opportunities along with job security, as an industrial engineer.
- Industrial engineering is considered to be a respected profession.
Here are some of the important cons of industrial engineering you should know about.
- The work environment for industrial engineers can be quite stressful.
- Engineers often have to go through long work shifts, which can be exhausting.
- What’s more concerning is that hazardous work environments are quite common.
- Accidents can happen even with safety precautions and controlled environments.
- It can be challenging to develop the right skills needed for industrial engineering.
- Acquiring knowledge can be hard as well.
- To become a skilled industrial engineer, one has to get years of hard-earned experience.
- Mistakes in designing procedures and products can put others at risk.
- It can be difficult to stand out from the crowd to get high-paying jobs.
Final thoughts
Industrial engineering is one of the best fields to pursue a career in. From high salaries to high demand and countless opportunities, it can provide everything you would expect from a dream job.
While it has its cons, you should know that every job has its flaws.
I hope this article has helped you make a more informed career decision.
It is always best to pursue a career that you are passionate about.
All the best!
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