New program helps ISE grads
The US lost nearly three million jobs in 2008, according to Department of Labor statistics, with many of those displaced workers in a position that requires a change in occupation. Luckily, Oakland University has a solution to this problem.
In 2007, OU had formed a new engineering program: the Department of Industrial and systems engineering — the science of improving a system’s productivity.
Recently, the department launched a graduate certificate program aimed to offer engineers additional skills.
The Graduate Certificate in Productivity Improvement, or “4-pack”, is a 16 credit program that combines a choice of three core ISE classes and one elective class. Graduate students build their own “4-pack” to suit their career goals.
“Basically, it’s half of an ISE master’s degree,” said Sankar Sengupta, an ISE professor. He teaches five of the 18 available productivity certificate courses.
Sengupta believes that the point of the program is to advance a student’s career.
“It gives you an idea of what systems engineering is,” he said.
The Four Pack program is accredited by the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.
Certificates carry the national backing of North Central’s academic standards Robert Van Til, director of the ISE department, said.
According to Van Til, the program is not aimed at industrial engineers.
Most in the program tend to be mechanical engineers.
Van Til and Sengupta agreed that skills acquired by productivity improvement certificate program translate well to management positions.
“Of all of our graduates, I’m only aware of one who does not have a job,” Van Til said.
Program provides important connections to the community
OU’s program makes connections with industry stakeholders, specifically Michigan automakers.
The ISE Department Industrial Advisory board has representatives from Chrysler, General Motors, Volkswagon Group of America, Siemens Corp., a technology company, and Genesys Health Care System. The board works to make sure research and educational opportunities offered by the department are relevant in the field.
“I have internship and co-op offers that I can’t find students to fill,” Van Til said. “Most of our students have two or three job offers in their pockets as they go out the door.
National statistics provide reassurance to students
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, industrial engineering employs the second greatest number of engineers, 19,680, in Michigan, ranked only beneath mechanical engineering, which employs 30,260.
Nationally, U.S. BLS measurements count 202,990 employed industrial engineers. The mean annual wage can be found is $78,450.
More information on the Graduate Certificate in Productivity Improvement at the Department of ISE’s website.
Contact Director Van Til by e-mail, [email protected], or by phone, 248-370-2211.
Contact staff reporter Raymond Andre via e-mail at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @RAndre_87
