What relevance does an MBA have to the highly technical skills of a professional engineer, and is there a need for an MBA specifically for Engineers?

 Thoughts  in Mind of an Engineering Graduate .  It’s important to decide if one want to be a subject matter expert or a manager. If one love engineering and being on the technical side, then an advanced engineering degree puts them at the top of your field. But, if one is excited about working at a macro level in business and managing teams or considering an entrepreneurial endeavour, an MBA is right choice. Regardless of the path, undergraduate engineering background provides problem-solving skills and critical thinking methodology that serve one well in any chosen career.

 Need for A Post Graduate Degree.   A postgraduate qualification is becoming more important for engineers as the future unfolds. Professional Bodies and Industry look for  an engineer  through an accredited degree route and  who has studied a  matching degree of post graduation in technical arena . Another area of this matching section is in the area of management to attain Managerial Status .

One way of attaining this is through taking  Master of Business Administration course (MBA). Most MBA courses are aimed for all graduate disciplines. More than 30  percent of MBA students are engineers. Few universities offer a technical MBA like  industrial Management.

It is important that engineers widen their knowledge and skills in the management area if they wish to become senior managers in  industry. Having  obtained a technical under graduate or even Post graduate degree, an MBA completes their education in the wider areas of management that usually include subjects such as finance, marketing, human resource management, organisational behaviour, and management strategy. The engineer thus has the opportunity to quickly progress in their career

Need for Managers With Technical Background . The role of the engineer is changing – within an industry. The engineer is likely to be a manager who  has to implement new practices and new technology. Thus the engineer often becomes the primary manager of change within the modern organisation, which again requires specific skills and learning.

What MBA  Gives to An Engineer. MBA  gives  engineers the broad grounding thats missing in their technical degrees. MBA classes are mostly case based experiences which give practical out flow . As engineers have practical knowledge of implementing technical aspects, such method of study  relate theory to the world of work. The Engineering student therefore gets the opportunity to understand the workings  in greater depth, in areas not usually covered in their technical roles.

Stand out Aspects. The engineering MBA graduate is well versed in management knowledge, skills and techniques, as well as their technical engineering abilities. Having an MBA gives them confidence to apply these skills to develop ‘strategies for growth’ of their employing companies, making them indispensable and sought after. In the future, they will be among those who set the rules and have conversations about what should and shouldn’t be done in the way an organisation is structured and managed.

Earning Potential.  In the earning potential with a  MBA  one can earn up to a 30% higher salary than engineering graduate.

Why MBA from IILM University  for Engineers – IILM University Gurugram, has a unique space in the world of MBA education because of the benchmarking its  education level with top universities of the world like Stanford University, IIMs , Wharton .IILM University has its own  concept of liberal education for  university  programme. Engineers in  MBA Programme  in such environment have more comprehensive learning approach. The learnings have enabled better placement potential for the Students as well as gives   innovative inquisitiveness to  become – a job creator too .

Take Away for an Engineer With MBA

An MBA  will further in your field as it gives the tools to lead and manage, while  the engineering degree positions you as an expert and company stand out.

Kesavan Baskkaran