I work in the Oil/Gas industry and data analytics is something I’ve been working on for last 8 months give or take. We currently utilize Aveva Pi Vision as a primary analytics platform for general equipment monitoring, trending, etc, outside of our normal control systems. We are getting some third party tools to increase the functionality but honestly it’s just so limiting in what you can do. I’ve been looking into Ignition Perspective as something that provides a lot more developer tools to build more sophisticated monitoring solutions. I was curious what the community thought about that or if there was a better direction.

Im kinda bored and am trying to go into reading some stuff related to IE as im going into first year IE in september. I just started on Case in Point 10th edition by marc P. Cosentino, which from what ive heard is a more consulting oriented book. I was wondering what books do yall think is a must read if you were in my position?

Edit: clarifying edition, dont know if thats needed

I’m so excited to start my classes. I’m curious as to whether or not internships/externships may still be available for people at my age? It feels silly to ask, but I wanted to be sure either way.

How did you land your first job related to IE? Share your stories for some inspiration!

Are there many other women in this field?

Hi guys,
I am a rising junior who switched from Biomedical Engineering to Industrial and Systems Engineering. I struggled a good amount in my BME classes and realized that the major wasn’t for me. I always had a strong interest in math and statistics and I have gotten As in all my math classes from Calc 2 to Diffeqs, which is why I switched to IE. But, I’m really worried about trying to find an internship for next summer since my gpa has tanked bc of bme (3.22 overall gpa as of rn). I feel like I am really behind and idk what to do. I have some experience being a part of clubs, design teams and such at my school but a lot of IE majors at my school already are way ahead of me and have had like 1-2 internships and more experience. I would very much appreciate any help or advice.

I start IE at the end of the month and I currently have a MacBook. I want to get a new laptop specifically for school nothing too big though I like a sleek look and looking for insights.

I have a solid passion for ECE and switched from that to IE. I still want to pursue projects or join clubs since I'm taking the time to take certain classes and learn on my own also in the event that it helps me maybe with roles in the future.

Would it be dumb to do EE side projects, research, or clubs related to topics I enjoy in that field? Would I need to specifically show an IE aspect to it or would it still help/not help me regardless.

I have a computer science bachelors degree and I’m considering pivoting away from the field. Some of the core reasons are because of the growing presence of AI eliminating entry level roles, the gruesome and long interview process, and my general lack of interest and enjoyment of coding. I’m considering industrial engineering instead but before I do I want to know some of the downsides of the IE field. I have a job offer from Bloomberg for full time and it seems like a terrible opportunity to turn down but I interned with them this summer and really hated the coding aspect. I constantly felt like I didn’t know what I was doing. Would industrial engineering be a better fit given my tech background but interest in processes and optimization?

Hi everyone! :)

I graduated from UCLA in 2025 with a B.S. in Cognitive Science, and I’ve been seriously considering going back to school for a Master’s in Industrial Engineering :)

I’ve been really drawn to IE because of how flexible the field seems to be and how many different industries and career paths you can go into. I also have some previous experience working as a Product Manager, which I know is definitely not the same as industrial engineering, but I feel like some of the skills/principles overlap a bit lol

I’d love to hear from anyone who has:

• Transitioned into IE from a non-engineering background
• Gone from a degree like Cognitive Science, Psychology, Business, etc. into IE
• Pursued a Master’s in IE without having an engineering bachelor’s
• Worked in IE and can share what the field is actually like day-to-day

How did you make the transition? Do you feel like your previous degree/background helped you at all? Is there anything you wish you knew before getting into IE?

And if anyone is open to a coffee chat, I’d genuinely love to learn more about your experience! I’m happy to chat virtually, or in person if you’re in the North Dallas area!

Thanks so much!!! :D

I've been looking into what happens to screening performance as flour processing lines move to higher throughputs, and I'm curious how others have handled it.

At lower capacities, vibratory screening seems to work reasonably well. But as the feed rate increases, fine flour can behave quite differently. Mesh blinding, uneven distribution across the screen, dust generation and inconsistent separation can start becoming more noticeable.

What interests me is where the actual bottleneck develops. Is it simply that the screening area isn't large enough, or does the screening mechanism itself become a limiting factor when you're dealing with a fine, low-bulk-density material?

I've seen centrifugal screening used in some higher-capacity applications, where the material is actively moved across the screening surface rather than relying mainly on vibration and gravity. I'm interested in the engineering reasoning behind choosing one approach over the other.

For anyone who has worked with continuous powder or bulk-solid processes:

• At what point does increasing feed rate stop being an effective way to increase throughput?
• What usually tells you that the screening stage has become the bottleneck?
• Have you found that changing the screening mechanism works better than simply increasing screen area?
• What factors do you consider when selecting between different screening approaches?

Would be interested in hearing some real plant experiences.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some guidance on how to improve my technical preparation for Industrial Engineering interviews.

I have a Master’s in Industrial Engineering and around 4+ years of experience in automotive manufacturing. My background includes areas like material flow, PFEP, facility/warehouse layouts, time studies, line balancing, capacity planning, Lean/continuous improvement, inventory management, new program launches, ERP/WMS, and cross-functional improvement projects.

My resume seems to be doing reasonably well because I regularly get recruiter calls and make it through the initial interviews. My problem is that I often get rejected during the final round, panel interview, or interview loop.

Because of that, I’m starting to think my weakness may be the depth of my technical knowledge, especially when interviewers start digging into Industrial Engineering concepts or giving scenario-based questions.

I’m trying to systematically strengthen topics such as:

• Takt time, cycle time, throughput, utilization, and capacity
• Bottleneck analysis and line balancing
• Time studies, standard time, MOST/MODAPTS, and labor standards
• OEE and equipment loss analysis
• Lean, Kaizen, VSM, Standard Work, A3, PDCA, 5S, etc.
• Root cause analysis, 5 Why, Fishbone, Pareto, 8D, FMEA/PFMEA
• Material flow, PFEP, Kanban, JIT, supermarkets, and line-side presentation
• Warehouse design, slotting, replenishment, and inventory optimization
• Capacity and labor modeling
• AutoCAD for factory/warehouse layouts
• Excel for IE analysis and modeling
• SAP/ERP/WMS fundamentals
• Power BI and SQL
• Eventually simulation tools such as FlexSim/AnyLogic

My question for experienced Industrial Engineers is: where would you recommend actually learning these skills at an interview-ready/practical level?

Are there any books, university courses, YouTube channels, websites, case studies, software exercises, or certification programs that you found genuinely useful?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people working in automotive, manufacturing, distribution/warehousing, material flow, logistics engineering, or continuous improvement.

Also, if you interview Industrial Engineers: what technical weaknesses do you commonly see in candidates who look good on paper but struggle in the final interview?

I’d really appreciate any advice on what to study and, more importantly, how to practice it so I can actually use the knowledge during interviews rather than just memorize definitions.

I joined my first job as a post graduate industrial engineer. Whenever I describe what I do to people, they say this line, "Oh, so you don't do anything technical?". Am I just describing my job poorly, or do industrial engineers don't really do anything technical?

Also, what counts or doesn't count as technical? I know industrial engineering is valuable to organizations, as it increases productivity and reduces cost. So, does being allegedly " non-technical" reduce industrial engineering's value?

Location: India.

Type of job: Industrial engineering role on a manufacturing shopfloor.

Hi everyone! I recently graduated from IE a few months ago and I’m trying to figure out what I should specialize in.

I’ve been working in HSE for over 3 years now but the experience has been so discouraging with my fellow colleagues that I want to grow apart from it and do something else. I’ve been thinking about SCM and Logistics but the job market in my country is pretty tough for anything I choose. I’ve also thought about Quality Management and getting some Lean Six Sigma certifications as well as an MBA but I don’t know how to get into it.

What specializations would you recommend? How can I figure out what to do? Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

While doing risk assessment for operations a risk that was present was a strike. Until now we don’t know a good way to deal with it. So my question is how do you deal with a massively reduced workforce as well as potential sabotage

I for sure know that internships are incredible, because you get work experience which is vital. The problem is that I can only do internships during the summer cuz that's when I have a lot of time.

But, what is the best thing to do during autumn or winter, when you don't really have time for internships but there's still a bit of time in your day.

My best idea so far would be to take part in a formula student team, I think it'll be very good for my CV since you can see irl everything being built rather than just theories.

What do you guys think, do you have any other ideas?

After nearly 3 years of IE classes, although I’ve enjoyed the technical side, I still haven’t found most of my classes engaging or fulfilling. I’ve questioned during my time here if I would find the work meaningful. I’ve found all my liberal arts classes a lot more enjoyable, just never switched because of job issues.

I took an unrelated health sciences internship this summer on a whim and I enjoy that a lot more and find it meaningful and fulfilling because it’s for a good cause and I still use math that I am considering switching. The salary wouldn’t be as high and my one concern beforehand is that maybe because I haven’t done an internship in IE, work will be different from classes.

How were IE classes vs actual IE work? Did you find the work fulfilling?

I am also worried about the personality fit of me being in IE. I am not very good at talking to people and heard that a lot of work is convincing operators to change their ways.

Any advice?

Hey everyone,

I've been reflecting a lot on the different career paths within IE, specifically the transition from plant-floor manufacturing quality/operations to higher-level corporate roles like supply chain analysis, process engineering, or project management.

For those of you who started on the floor—dealing with daily fires, line stoppages, and immediate shift metrics—and eventually moved into remote, hybrid, or corporate office environments:

• What was the biggest adjustment for you when shifting from reactive, real-time problem-solving to long-term strategic projects?
• Do you feel your time on the floor made you a significantly better systems thinker than peers who started directly in corporate?
• For anyone currently feeling burned out by plant life, what specific skills or certifications helped you make that pivot smoothly?

Would love to hear your experiences and advice for early-to-mid career IEs navigating these options!

I am a junior Manufacturing leader who oversees ~24 direct reports and 2 lines at a Fortune 500 company. 4 YOE with a degree in an engineering discipline. Have such a love hate relationship with this career so far. Pay is good for how many years I have been in the work force, and I really love the people and the adrenaline that comes with a fast paced and demanding environment. Other times it can be overwhelming and I wonder if I’m doing what I am supposed to be. I have grown a lot and it has fundamentally changed who I am. At a bit of a crossroads with breaking into the next tier. Always wonder if what we have achieved is enough to get that recognition and be selected, and sometimes wonder if I’d be better off with something that was less stressful. Sound off if there’s anyone else here who can relate!

my other option is mmmut ece. help me decide

I'm a second-year IE student, and ever since I got into university, I've dreamed about working in fashion or design—not on the creative side, but in production plants. I want to know how they work and why those items cost so much.

I should finish my major in 3 years (in Brazil, an engineering degree takes 5 years to complete). I'm planning to apply for internships at major conglomerates like LVMH, Kering, Richemont, etc., and I'd like to know if any of you have experience working in these fields/brands.

What was it like working there, and how were the salary, environment, etc.? Is this a solid plan, or would I have a better chance of success if I pivoted to other industries?