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- 72
- Industrial Engineers
-
- (D.O.T. 005.167-026; 012.061 -018, .067, .167 except -022, -026,
- -034, -058, and -062, and .187)
-
- Nature of the Work
-
- Industrial engineers determine the most effective ways for an
- organization to use the basic factors of production people,
- machines, materials, information, and energy to make or process a
- product. They are the bridge between management and operations.
- They are more concerned with increasing productivity through the
- management of people and methods of business organization than are
- engineers in other specialties, who generally work more with
- products or processes.
-
- To solve organizational, production, and related problems most
- efficiently, industrial engineers carefully study the product and
- its requirements, design manufacturing and information systems, and
- use mathematical analysis methods such as operations research to
- meet those requirements. They develop management control systems to
- aid in financial planning and cost analysis, design production
- planning and control systems to coordinate activities and control
- product quality, and design or improve systems for the physical
- distribution of goods and services. Industrial engineers conduct
- surveys to find plant locations with the best combination of raw
- materials, transportation, and costs. They also develop wage and
- salary administration systems and job evaluation programs. Many
- industrial engineers move into management positions because the work
- is closely related.
-
- Industrial engineers determine the most productive way the resources
- of a business can be used in the production of a product.
-
- Employment
-
- Industrial engineers held about 119,000 jobs in 1992; about 80
- percent of jobs were in manufacturing industries. Because their
- skills can be used in almost any type of organization, industrial
- engineers are more widely distributed among manufacturing industries
- than other engineers.
-
- Their skills can be readily applied outside manufacturing as well.
- For example, some work for insurance companies, banks, hospitals,
- and retail organizations. Others work for government agencies or
- are independent consultants.
-
- Job Outlook
-
- Employment of industrial engineers is expected to grow about as fast
- as the average for all occupations through the year 2005, making for
- favorable opportunities. Most job openings, however, will result
- from the need to replace industrial engineers who transfer to other
- occupations or leave the labor force.
-
- Industrial growth, more complex business operations, and the greater
- use of automation in factories and in offices underlie the projected
- employment growth. Because the main function of an industrial
- engineer is to make a higher quality product as efficiently as
- possible, their services should be in demand in the manufacturing
- sector as firms seek to reduce costs and increase productivity
- through scientific management and safety engineering.
-
- Sources of Additional Information
-
- Institute of Industrial Engineers, Inc., 25 Technology Park/Atlanta,
- Norcross, GA 30092.
-
- (See introductory part of this section for information on training
- requirements and earnings.)
-