Educating and training the next generation of industrial engineers to work in manufacturing

Now more than ever manufacturing in the United States needs a workforce with a blend of both strong hands-on trade skills and the technical problem solving skills typically learned through the completion of a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering program. This paper discusses a holistic approach being taken in an industrial engineering program to increase student interest in manufacturing by providing a hands-on educational experience in a manufacturing processes course while providing ample opportunities for students to gain hands-on manufacturing work experience through undergraduate teaching internships and manufacturing co-ops and internships. The research shown in this paper discusses the active role that senior undergraduate students with manufacturing internship and co-op experience play in helping to deliver the manufacturing processes course. Senior undergraduate industrial engineering students with manufacturing industry internship or co-op work experience have been helping to deliver a manufacturing processes course through hands-on lab instruction, on site plant visits, industry speakers and networking sessions, and a final course case study. The paper displays the results of a questionnaire that included a blend of qualitative and quantitative questions administered to the junior and senior level industrial engineering students completing the manufacturing processes course. In addition to data collected on student satisfaction and motivation with course delivery, the survey also collected data inquiring prior student knowledge of manufacturing processes, perception of manufacturing, and student interest in manufacturing careers before and after taking the manufacturing processes course. The survey also inquired on student internship and co-op trends for the industrial engineering students completing this manufacturing processes course.