Industrial engineers are concerned with people and methods while other engineers may usually be concerned with a product or process. Industrial engineers determine the most efficient and effective way for a company to use the basic components of production-people, machines, and materials.
Industrial engineers develop management control systems for financial planning and cost analysis, design production planning and control systems, design time study and quality control programs, and survey possible plant locations for the best combination of raw materials, transportation, labor supply, and taxes.
About 80 percent of all industrial engineers are employed by manufacturing industries, but, because their skills can be used in almost any type of company, industrial engineers work in many industries that don't employ other types of engineers. They may work for insurance companies, banks, hospitals, retail organizations, and other large business firms as well as more traditional engineering employers such as construction companies, mining firms, and utility companies.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Industrial engineers work in all parts of the country and are concentrated in industrialized and commercial areas.
This is a physically active engineering specialty involving daily visits to departments within the plants, offices, and grounds of the employer as well as travel to possible plant locations.
Qualifications, Education, and Training
The ability to think analytically, a capacity for detail, and the ability to work as part of a team are all necessary. Good communication skills are important. Mathematics and the sciences must be emphasized in high school.
A bachelor's degree in engineering is the minimum requirement in this field. In a typical curriculum, the first two years are spent in the study of basic sciences such as physics and chemistry and mathematics, introductory engineering, and some liberal arts courses. The remaining years are usually devoted to specialized engineering courses. Engineering programs can last from four to six years. Those that require five or six years to complete may award a master's degree or may provide a cooperative plan of study plus practical work experience with a nearby industry.
Because of rapid changes in technology, many engineers continue their education throughout their careers. A graduate degree is necessary for most teaching and research positions and for many management jobs. Some per-sons obtain graduate degrees in business administration.
Engineering graduates usually work under the supervision of an experienced engineer or in a company training program until they become acquainted with the requirements of a particular company or industry.
All states require licensing of engineers whose work may affect life, health, or property or who offer their services to the public. Those who are licensed, about one-third of all engineers, are called registered engineers. Requirements include graduation from an accredited engineering school, four years of experience, and a written examination.
Potential and Advancement
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of industrial engineers is expected to grow just 1% between 2014 and 2024, which is much slower than the average for all occupations. This occupation is multipurpose both in the type of the work it does and in the industries in which its knowledge can be put to use. In addition, because industrial engineers' work can help with cost control by increasing efficiency, these engineers are valuable to employers in most industries, including nonprofits.
Job opportunities in this field are expected to increase substantially through the year because of the increased complexity and expanding use of automated processes and increased recognition of the importance of scientific management and safety engineering in reducing costs and increasing productivity.
Income
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage of industrial engineers was $83,470 in 2015
Related Jobs
Related jobs include systems analyst, quality control inspector, materials engineer, management analyst, logistician, industrial production manager, industrial engineering technician, health and safety engineer , cost estimator, architectural manager, and engineering manager.
