Changing Degrees - Mechanical to Industrial Engineering

[MarcoRSA]

Hi my name is Marco,

I live in South Africa and currently studying a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. I first decided on mechanical because I enjoyed cars and learning how machines work. But after 2 years into the degree, I have started to lean more towards changing to industrial, as the mechanical side isn't exactly what I had in mind (not that I'm saying I find it hard, it's just industrial seems more me). I like the industrial part, because optimizing has always been a strong passion of mine, and other business aspects of industrial also interest me. But, I also still enjoy the mechanical aspects such as drawing in CAD, etc. I've heard that all engineers become managers, just that IE's become managers quicker, is this true?

Am I making the right decision by changing to industrial?

 

[jsgruszynski]

My only formal IE data point is a classmate who was IE but who after a few years in industry switched to study graduate EE instead. She found the IE too limiting career-wise. She started in IE but found she need a strong technical core to really make it work. So based on this I'd say stick with the ME but take some IE and business courses, and maybe get an MBA focused on OR subjects, or double major in ME + IE.

I learned a lot of what my friend learned as an IE in my MBA program (with a little less math) - my EE math made it all pretty trivial to learn. I'm guessing ME would be similar. I took a couple of IE course as an undergrad and helped my friend with homework from time-to-time so I knew what the IE was about.

BTW I have an EE and MBA. I've done a fair amount of IE-like stuff involved in manufacturing and process re-engineering in a general business environment. I'm currently involved in supplying machines to semiconductor manufacturing (and our products directly affect IE-like performance of the line). A lot of my EE knowledge obviously is used but I also can use the IE/MBA type of knowledge to go beyond that. They complement each other as knowledge areas - all IE still is applied to some engineering specialty process. So ME knowledge is a major advantage to doing IE in an ME area like car manufacturing.

As far as becoming a manager - it's not so much a matter of degrees or academic knowledge. Basically in your entry-level engineering job your speed-to-management will not really change by that but simply your interest and attitude toward that goal: people who really want to become managers tend to become managers the fastest while people who really enjoy the engineering and spend more focus on it become managers the slowest or not at all.