With engineering in India masked by the highly in-demand Information Technology enabled Services (ITes) streams viz. Computer Science Engineering (CSE) and Information Science Engineering (ISE), it is worth understanding that there are also other branches that have found absolute relevance in changed circumstances, In this regard, experts believe that the time is right for prospective engineers to take up the study of Industrial Engineering.
At this point in time, when counselling for professional courses in underway in most Indian states, experts have also highly rated the Industrial Engineering branch. A major reason for this changing trend is cited to be the potential impact that the latest smart technology buzzword, Industry 4.0, is expected to have on the Indian industrial scheme of things. Also, aspects such as industry and factory automation are also viewed as factors driving demand for industrial engineers.
Scope for industrial engineering is seemingly evergreen
“First of all, understand that the demand for industrial engineers will not die down. With rapid evolutions in Indian industrial scenario, demand will only go north,” states Dr Radhakrishnan HK who is a leading career counsellor in Bengaluru with over twenty years of experience in guiding young engineers towards right career paths.
Dr Radhakrishnan also adds that, in 2017, industrial engineering has converted into a cross-functional area; which means that engineers get to flex their creative muscles in multiple domains apart from traditional manufacturing. This means that jobs are naturally more for industrial engineers in India.
The Indian government’s push for foreign direct investment (FDI) and Make in India have also opened up avenues for industrial engineering.
“There has been a sudden spike in the number of students enrolling to study industrial engineering and management, and industrial production overall,” stated Dr M N Kumar Naik who is principal of a well-known engineering college in Bengaluru.
Dr Kumar Naik also brings out the fact that the student strength for industrial production is now on par with that of CSE branch. This trend has reportedly come to light over the last three years.
The number games
With increased avenues, experts believe that industrial engineering (and related engineering streams) have the number advantage because of the cross-functional aspect associated with the branch.
Major sectors that aggressively look out for industrial engineers are manufacturing (the traditional base), textiles, logistics, Research and Development (R&D), essential services, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Aviation, and Banking.
“Industrial engineers are typically essential elements of any firm that is into essential services and production. Society today is in a position where industry is the driving force. Therefore, the time is now apt for students to take up industrial engineering as a specialisation,” states Albert Lewis who is a Mangalore-based engineering professor.
Engineering solutions for society is at its peak
With industrial engineers working on a variety of real-world projects to be deployed in the physical domain, adding creativity and smartness to engineer solutions almost becomes a norm. This means that industrial engineers have a lot of scope to develop smart models to creatively address issue plaguing society.
“As industrial engineers normally work on aspects like techniques, resource pooling & management, managing operations, and more; there is every opportunity to find creative work-arounds,” adds Dr Radhakrishnan.
“With almost an entire organisation being dependant on industrial engineers, the scope for development of intuitive models only increases so does the working of a firm,” advises Rajesh Prasad K who is a Bengaluru-based independent mechanical engineer who consults for governmental agencies on various projects.
Rajesh Prasad also believes that good industrial models are directly connected with positive societal impact. Therefore, students with a penchant to study industrial engineering can take note of these aspects now.
