Industrial Engineer

In order to become an Industrial Engineer, one must possess a formal education from an accredited college or university and obtain a license in the area of one's specialty or field of expertise.

Industrial Engineers are required to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in engineering before obtaining a professional position. Some fields may accept degrees in other fields such as certain sciences or mathematics. While specialized degrees are granted in such areas as civil, mechanical, electrical and electronics engineering, one may work across two or more disciplines. This is common in more generalized industries as opposed to specific job positions.

Some companies and organizations require postgraduate work. Many colleges and universities offer master's degree programs, which dramatically increase the education and hands on experience as well as the likelihood of obtaining a better employment position. Master's degrees are typically required for faculty positions at educational institutions. Many Industrial Engineers use their education as a springboard to higher corporation positions.

Colleges and universities offering degrees in engineering should be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), Inc. Accreditation of an education institution is based on curriculum, facilities and the competency and expertise of the faculty. Currently, ABET accredits approximately 2,800 individual programs at over 600 colleges and universities throughout the United States.

In order to qualify for admission to any type of degree program, undergraduate or other applicants must exhibit strong skills in mathematics and sciences.

All 50 states require engineers to be licensed. In order to obtain a license, one must have a degree from an accredited learning institution, and have successfully completed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination. After obtaining a minimum of four years of professional and relevant work experience, an engineer may take the second examination for licensure, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. Only then can an Industrial Engineer be referred to as a Professional Engineer (PE).

Because each state is independent in its licensure, regulations and requirements vary. This is particularly important to know for engineers who may be required to travel or work for a large corporation or as a consultant. Each state requires its own licensure and therefore, it is common for an industrial engineer to have more than one license.

Many states require continuing education to maintain a valid and current license.

Industrial Engineers employ scientific and mathematical principles to solve technical problems. In essence, an Industrial Engineer effectively determines the best practices to be used in an industrial setting to achieve the maximum amount of production and output. The breakdown of the production process includes many elements including materials, machinery and equipment, management of human resources, organization, technology, and business management.

Industrial Engineers are required to study all aspects of a product as well as its manufacturing systems in order to maximize efficiency. In order to improve upon current production systems and standards, an Industrial Engineer must work with various business models, information technologies, purchasing agents, buyers, vendors, sales agents, and workers in every department of the organization. A large part of the Industrial Engineer's job is to gather as much pertinent information as possible and then analyze all of the past, present and future information in order to develop a management control system that will not only increase production but will also increase profits. Product quality is also a concern on the part of the Industrial Engineer as are the shipping and receiving of goods and transportation issues.

Industrial Engineers can either be self-employed consultants or choose to work in a corporate environment. It is common for Industrial Engineers to become part of the management team due to the in-depth knowledge of the operation. Many successful CEOs and COOs started out their professional careers as Industrial Engineers.

Those who desire to become an Industrial Engineer should have strong mathematical and scientific abilities, be detail oriented, organized, analytical, and creative. Both oral and written communication skills are critical as is the ability to make presentations to all levels of business people, from factory workers to chief executive officers and member of the board of directors for Fortune 500 companies.

The annual income of Industrial Engineers may vary due to the specific type of industry. However, the most recent statistics show that the median annual salary for an Industrial Engineer is $68,620.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Industrial Engineers should experience an increase in employment by 20%, a higher percentage than all other occupations.

Part of this increase may be attributed to companies looking for a way to cut costs and raise production. In order to do that, it is likely that companies will hire the services of Industrial Engineers to analyze their current systems and suggest alternatives that would accomplish their goals. The increase will take place throughout all industries, even the manufacturing sector, although the economic downturn has decreased profits. Openings in the field will also become readily available due to the tendency of Industrial Engineers to move on to administrative positions as well as taking the place of retirees.

Eli Whitney - Patent holder on the Cotton Gin
Jimmy Carter - Former President of the United States
Susan Story - Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Power
John Glenn - Astronaut, United States Senator

Institute of Industrial Engineers
National Association of Industrial Technology

Top cities for employment will vary as the economy changes. Industrial Engineers are in high demand in areas where there are a large number of factories and other manufacturing facilities in use, as well as those locations in which new industry is expanding.

Currently, the top cities in the United States for Industrial Engineers are:
Houston, TX
San Diego, CA
Chicago, IL
Atlanta, GA
Dallas, TX