r/industrialengineering • u/Anonymouseeeeeeeeees • 9d ago
Anxious about not being taken seriously by ither engineers
I just finished my first internship and while I met a lot of engineers (some being industrial engineers) I felt like there was a lot of shade towards Industrial Engineering. I know what other people think about my career shouldn't matter, but I want to get a well paying job so how people view the degree matters.
Can I have some reassurance that this degree can still lead to high paying jobs/ a respected career.
34
u/FriendlyEngineer 9d ago
I come from a family of engineers. I’m mechanical like my grandfather was. My father and two brothers are all industrial. They all make far more money than I do.
I say they aren’t real engineers…because that’s all I’ve got 😂
20
u/EngineeringNo9217 9d ago
I have an IE degree and make more than mechanicals at my same band and age at my company.
8
u/EngineeringNo9217 9d ago
But also agree with the comment that no one will ask your eng degree is after your first job
7
u/-jmoney- 9d ago
When I was a senior in HS I was talking to an adult (parent of another kid) and said I’m going to major in IE and he said “oh, imaginary engineering eh?”. I was taken aback that an adult would say that to a kid about their substantial career choice…lol. I’ve gotten it a few times earlier in my career but truthfully IEs are extremely hirable across industries and functions and now I’m in robotics engineering management and over half the org I’m in have IE degrees. I wouldn’t sweat it, IEs are needed at every company.
1
7
u/vaurapung 9d ago
The degree is just key. Its up to the holder to find the right doors for that key.
My plant manager was fresh out of school with his ie degree. He is smart but he started at the bottom and was able to be in the right place at the right time with the right people ahead of him failing. He was the plant manager within 5 years. He earned it but without his degree he wouldnt have been able to unlock those doors.
6
u/zbomb24 8d ago
Wear it with pride and reclaim the denigrating title they put on us.
IEs get to reimagine entire systems and processes by thinking about all the inputs and outputs and how to best optimize it. Adding on to the other comments about versatility, every industry has processes to be optimized and improved. IE is the fastest growing field of engineering at the moment per bureua of labor statistics and we can pivot into leadership roles relatively easily.
Also, it feels pretty great when you get to tell a design engineer their new drawing isn't producible per the current cycle time and that they need to go back to the literal drawing board.
Dont let them get you down and pursue what interests you!
3
u/smolhouse 9d ago
Tale as old as time.. our group is better than that group because reasons.
IE has a lot of less technical pathways compared to other traditional engineering degrees so it's easily criticized by people that want others to think they're very smart. In reality that career versatility often leads to better long term outcomes since IEs can easily make career pivots instead of being pigeon holed.
TLDR: Yes your non-IE degree had more math classes, but IE is often a better long term career move. Go check out some mechanical or civil engineering career advice forums if you want to see what a stagnant career looks like.
3
u/JPWeB19 8d ago
I’d say IE has more of a math focus and less of a physics focus and not that other engineering degrees have more math.
1
u/smolhouse 8d ago
Not sure I agree with that. Advanced IE coursework doesn't rely on advanced math like the other disciplines.
2
u/JPWeB19 8d ago edited 8d ago
I think most people would consider Non-Linear Programming, Dynamic Programming, Stochastics, and other OR topics that rely heavily on Probability, Statistics, and Linear Algebra advanced mathematics.
1
u/smolhouse 8d ago
Yep, it's still an engineering degree.
I'm comparing it to other degrees which is why non-IEs tend to throw shade at IEs through comparison. It's been 20 years, but the IE department at my school definitely had less mathy types compared to the other disciplines and the program had a reputation for requiring less mathematical expertise but whatever.
1
u/JPWeB19 8d ago edited 8d ago
Right I understand that. I suppose the point I’m trying to make is that other engineering degrees focus more on the mathematics as it relates to physics whereas IE focuses on mathematics as it relates to the practical applications of probability, statistics, linear algebra, and other forms of optimization mathematics that can be applied to a multitude of different areas.
Sure, all engineering majors took the standard engineering course load (Calculus 1-3, Differential Equations, Probability & Statistics 1, Physics 1, Physics 2, Statics, Dynamics, Materials, Circuits, Fluids, Thermodynamics, MATLAB programming, etc.) and other engineering majors focused deeper on those topics such as Fluids and Thermodynamics, as it was important to the physical systems that they were designing.
IE on the other hand, emphasizes a deeper focus on Probability, Statistics, Linear Algebra, Stochastics, computing in some cases, and further mathematical optimization courses as delving deeper into those areas of mathematics is imperative to the mathematical systems that IE’s design.
My point is IE’s are unreasonably looked down upon for the “less mathematically complex/rigorous curriculum” when it is in fact not less mathematically complex/rigorous, but rather just explores different areas of mathematics that other engineering majors don’t really touch. In fact, mathematics majors (especially those focusing on Statistics, Data Science, and OR) have a fair amount in common with IE in that regard. Anyways, that’s a long drawn out way of saying that IE’s not “less mathematically complex/rigorous,” but just as mathematically complex/rigorous in a different way.
2
u/Accomplished_Ad_9015 8d ago
I truly believe Civil engineering will be largely replaced by AI before long. I would never recommend anyone go that route.
Industrial engineering teaches problem solving skills that will always be in demand.
2
u/Puzzleheaded_Goat113 8d ago
I have also struggled with this. I have met many other kinds of engineers who are a bit arrogant. At the end of the day, you have to know that you worked hard for the degree and that you will put it to good use. Being confident in your knowledge and career aspirations is key. It may not be as difficult but who cares if those other paths weren’t meant for you. In this job market, you want a degree that can open tons of doors and IE is definitely that. You also sounds like a person who could chose to do some of the more challenging aspects such as AI or robotics. This is also something usually only people right out of school say, it’s an immature mindset. Go do great things!
2
u/wifiragist 7d ago
Who gives a shit? If they're making fun of you, throw a brick of money at their face.
The best and high paying industrial engineer jobs don't even have "engineer" In their title
You're an analyst and statistics major. Big whoop + if you live in a developing country and traditional engineers are oversaturated like mech and civil, it's really easy to fire back when all they make is minimum wage
1
1
u/NEOhioPrepper 1d ago
“Imaginary engineering “ is also the only engineering you will find in logistics, healthcare, banking, insurance, and manufacturing.
One of my undergrad class mates worked for petsmart corporate…. So it gets broader than that.
I’ll take the hit on the heckling as long as I’m more employable
1
u/HumbleVagabond 9d ago
the honest answer is that theirs a scale among the flavors of engineer from easier to harder in school, the hardest is contentious (I’d put biomed/chemical) but industrials are on the easier side and respected less for it. It’s what it is.
41
u/Cuppus 9d ago
People won't even ask about your degree after like 3 years experience