<p>So I'm currently an IE major at Georgia Tech, and I'm having doubts as to whether I should stay in this major or not. However, I don't want to drop out of it since I don't REALLY know what it's about. I know that in general terms IEngineers basically make things more efficient. My first major-specific class, ISyE 2027 is based on Probability and Statistics...It's pretty confusing and annoying, I don't know if I'd want to do this for the rest of my life. I've always seen engineering as a major where you get to build things (such as ME or CivilE), but IE made me confused.</p>
<p>So that is why I ask, to any experienced IE employees or students, what do you guys do (sounds a bit simplistic but...haha)?</p>
<p>IE is really a study that makes systems and processes more efficient. The methods used to do this can vary greatly, and the underlying principles learned in school can be applied to many different things in the real world. These are things that Im sure you have heard already, so I think you are asking about the details of how this is done? </p>
<p>Much of what you might call classical industrial engineering is concerned with modeling problems. For instance, lets say that you are manufacturing automobiles </p>
<p>On a production line you will have many different machines and people that assemble them. Along this production line, each machine and person at each station is heavily dependent upon the previous station and its people and machines. In order to eliminate waste and time, which fundamentally means costs to a company, each station must have some process that enables it to do its job in the most efficient manner. More often than not, these manufacturing plants have IEs construct computer simulation models that emulate what is happening in real life. They do this by collecting massive amounts of data to start out. Then, using computer tools the current process is mapped and the data is read into them, giving a visual and numerical output of what is happening. IEs construct the mathematical models that the computers use for their computations, and many of these mathematical models involve some sort of uncertainty - hence, why one of your first classes is probability and statistics. Later on down the road you will take classes in stochastic methods, which means mathematical modeling that involves uncertainty(probability). The data that is collected is analyzed and certain probabilities are learned and built into the models. For instance, there is a 95% probability that the parts assembled at station A will arrive station B in less than 2 minutes. Then, once the IEs have verified that their model is accurate with the current process, they have a cost efficient way to try different approaches to make it better without costing the company massive amounts of money trying them in real life. Hence, the word simulation. </p>
<p>This is just one very basic and narrow example. The applicability of the study is immense and can be used in almost any industry.</p>
<p>Industrial Engineers do build things - they build processes. </p>
<p>In the early days of the field, IE’s “built” factories. Designers would determine what the factory would make, civil engineers built the building, mechanical (and/or chemical) engineers determined the equipment to be used, and the industrial engineers designed the layout and how the process would work (push vs. pull manufacturing, how many workers, vendor selection, quality selection, etc). The industrial engineers and mechanical (and/or chemical) engineers would then monitor the process after start-up - the mechanical (and/or chemical) engineers maintained and improved the efficiency of the equipment while the industrial engineers maintained and improved the efficiency of the workforce.</p>
<p>Industrial Engineering, as a whole, has gone through a bit of an identity crises in recent decades. For example, several methodological programs (which were initially shares among all engineering fields, as well as economics and mathematics) have worked their way into IE programs (Optimization - specifically OR, Simulation and Probability analysis, etc). Meanwhile, debate exists as to how much of the worker efficiency lies with the field (e.g. is Ergonomics a legitimate function for an industrial engineer? Some schools say yes, others say no). Finally, where does the line between business processes and industrial engineer lie? IE faculty routinely move to business schools because supply chain management research is increasingly being done by business professors.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, though, there is still high demand for the field, especially if you come from the top school (GT). Most industrial engineers either find employment with a company looking for methodological expertise (e.g. you might work for Delta doing OR modeling) or in a quasi-business position (e.g. you might work for a consulting firm in supply chain management, modeling, or analysis). Much of that will depend on your concentration inside of IE. </p>
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<p>ISyE 2027 isn’t a fair representation of what industrial engineers do - it’s a basic probability and statistics class to make sure you’re prepared for future work. With that said, if you find it difficult, change majors. It is the easiest class in the major. You might want to consider MGT with an operations certificate, instead.</p>
<p>Not all ME, CE, EE, etc. jobs are “build things” kind of jobs. There are probably more non-design jobs than design jobs.</p>
<p>Also, don’t be surprised if you question whether or not I want to be an IE multiple times during the course of your college years and then when you start working. During college, most of the engineers I knew would have doubts and questions about their future from time to time and now I work with some people who think they’d rather get in management than continue down an engineering path. There are some people who are well past their college years who still don’t know how to answer “what do I want to do when I grow up?”</p>
<p>The major focuses on creating the systems that deliver goods or services, implementing them and optimizing them using mathematical models, manufacturing engineering, operations research and supply chaining. </p>
<p>This major originated from manufacturing engineering, thus it carries the word “industrial”. However, the programs have changed quite a bit since it started and as such, “industrial” is no longer appropriate. “Systems” or “Process” or even “business” engineering would be more appropriate. </p>
<p>The major falls under engineering because of its roots in manufacturing and because students are required to take a significant amount of engineering courses to get the degree. But compared to the other engineering degrees, this one requires less traditional engineering and is more business process oriented.</p>
<p>I have a question for you other industrial engineering guys, do you see any real advantage to an IE degree over a supply chain management commerce degree?</p>
<p>Various colleges seem to advertise the SCM degrees as being able to fill the same jobs as IEs.</p>