Industrial Engineering

Industrial engineering is actually a far-ranging profession that focuses on optimizing complex processes or systems by reducing wastefulness in production. It focuses on systems of people, money, knowledge, information, equipment, energy, and materials and may address mathematical, physical and social science concerns. It brings to bear the principles and techniques of engineering design on many facets of life and seeks to specify, predict, and evaluate the results derived from these systems or processes.

Industrial engineering is one of the oldest branches of engineering taught in engineering schools, and generally requires that practitioners hold a professional engineering license in order to practice. If you want to learn more about this field, and how to pursue a career in this direction, contact the schools in our directory to receive detailed information you can use to make a decision.

Industrial Engineering Schools

The entry-level qualification needed to work as an industrial engineer is typically a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. It is not uncommon, however, for practicing industrial engineers to have degrees in related fields such as mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering technology, or general engineering. Many universities that offer degrees in the field offer advanced degrees: master’s and doctoral level program, as well. US News and World Report ranks industrial engineering programs in the United States. In 2012, the top ranked US program was at the Georgia Institute of Technology. As of 2012, it had held this ranking for twenty-two consecutive years. The program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and University of California, Berkeley, have been ranked second and third in the United States for many years.

Depending upon the specific tasks they are performing, industrial engineers work both in offices and in the settings they are working to improve. If they are observing problems, for instance, they may watch workers assemble parts in a factory, or staff performing their functions in hospitals. When solving problems, industrial engineers may work in an office at a computer, where they examine data that they themselves, or others, have gathered. Industrial engineers may need to travel for work in order to observe processes and make assessments in various work settings. In 2012, the industries that employed the greatest number of industrial engineers were: aerospace product and parts manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, architectural, engineering, and related services, motor vehicle parts manufacturing, and management of companies and enterprises. Industrial engineers need good interpersonal skills to be able to work alongside other professionals and serve as a bridge between the technical and business sides of an organization.

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