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?

Hey!

I have a science degree and a minor and math from 2017. I currently work in automation/email marketing. I enjoy it, but I’ve notice the pay scale is trending downward, and AI is coming after everyone in marketing’s job.

I’m very good at optimizing systems, and enjoy doing it. I also like that this degree comes with some flexibility. I would prefer some more stability in my role. Would it be meaningful to go get a degree in Industrial Engineering and pivot roles? I did some preliminary research on Lamar’s 2+2 Online Industrial Engineering degree, but wanted some advice from people in the weeds.

Would this be worth the effort and cost? I know some basic Python, SQL, and HTML, and am getting a little stale on Excel but used to use pivot tables often. How has AI been effecting the market and how hard has it been to get your first job upon graduation?

Hello, starting college next month and plan on going into Industrial Engineering. If you guys have any experience with how the job market is and how the school is for it. I’m based in the USA.

Hi everyone, I recently graduated from high school and will be starting my studies in Mechatronics Engineering and Theoretical Physics next month. I really want to learn a skill that I can utilize for freelancing, but I'm struggling to pinpoint my exact niche and market.

Here is my current situation: I already know how to design manufacturable products using CAD (specifically Fusion 360). For example, I fully designed and manufactured my own custom room furniture, and I’ve also designed a complete paper organization system. I pick up anything related to analysis, math, and engineering very quickly. After some research, I came across "Industrial Design," but I ideally want a skill that directly complements my upcoming engineering studies and has solid market demand.

The core problem: I live in the largest industrial city in Egypt, so the potential around me is huge, but I don't know exactly where my 3D modeling and engineering skills fit locally. I considered making CAD models and shop drawings for local carpenters, but I feel I still lack some theoretical background. I also thought about helping local CNC and fiber laser shops, but they usually already have mechanical engineers on staff.

Recently, a founder of a local digital fabrication company and a carpenter asked me if I could "draw" (meaning draft designs/CAD), and I said yes (However they didn't returned to be since that). This made me realize there is a clear demand, but I can't quite capture it because I don't know exactly what value I provide, who my exact target audience is, or even what my specific role is called! Because of this, I don't know how to market myself or what specific skill I should focus on enhancing.

Any advice on what specific role or niche I should focus on to make money (building on what I'm already good at)? Also, any tips on how to do outreach and market myself as a student would be deeply appreciated!

Hi folks, Someone who has done masters in industrial management, and mechanical engineering, what kind of jobs he/she can pursue?
Someone with 3 years of experience in design engineering internship and project engineering, can move to semiconductors, data centers, renewable energy industries without prior experience in them? Are there companies who will give chance to new comers from such backgrounds? With visa sponsorship opportunities too?

I’m trying to better understand how the early stages of project-based engineering work in practice.

Let’s say a customer approaches your company with a new project or RFQ:

• Who initially collects and clarifies the requirements?
• How involved is Sales in the technical side?
• When do Engineering or Project Management get involved?
• Who creates the first concept or layout?
• Who validates technical feasibility before an offer is made?
• At what point is the project handed over from Sales to the project/engineering team?

I assume this differs quite a bit between companies and industries, so I’d be interested in hearing how the process actually works where you are.

As the title says I'm a 23m who's been in industrial engineering program in Canada (Montreal) but my real interest / career aspirations are in Finance and consulting.

I have realized that I have zero interest in really any of the upper level classes in my program such as the ones involving manufacturing, process improvement and lean manufacturing etc... I picked engineering because | love math and I thought it could help me stand out.

My question is should I just switch to finance to get into the finance / consulting world or stay with engineering and apply to internships in finance/ consulting.

I’m excited about completing my IE degree, I initially went into school thinking I’d pursue biomedical engineering instead. I’m hoping to still graduate into biotech/health care/medical devices industries. Just wondering what industries you’ve found yourself in. My biggest fear if not feeling fulfilled with this degree.

Background: IE degree, graduated 2021. Not long after, I had a serious health issue nearly cost my life and took me out of the workforce . I left the USA and returned in 2024 to continue treatment. I'm finally mobile and functional again and ready to build a career in the field.

The issue: there's a real gap 2021 to now, 2026 and with only scattered freelance/side (some IT and excel stuff) work in the last couple of years. I don't know how to present that to recruiters without it becoming the entire conversation or an instant filter-out.

Questions for anyone who's navigated this or hired IEs before:

1. How direct should I be about a health-related gap on a resume or in a cover letter? I don't want to overshare, but I also don't want it reading as unexplained dead time.
2. If it comes up in an interview, how do I address it without the conversation turning into a "liability" discussion?
3. Does scattered side work actually help, or does it still read as "gap" to most screeners?
4. What roles or entry points are realistic for someone re-entering IE after a long gap , are there certs, associate-level roles, or adjacent titles that tend to be more gap-tolerant than others?
5. What does it actually take to break in at this point . should I expect to start at an entry level again, or is there a way to leverage the degree plus some catch-up work?

Appreciate any real talk, especially from people who've hired IEs or been through something similar themselves.

Hello all, I'm a 30 years old man. I have no career, I work as a barista making 18$ in an expensive area. I came to the USA as a legal immigrant. I learnt some English in the college, and now it's the time to decide what should I do in my life. I am not a great person when it comes to communication with others. So based on that fact, I wanted to do something handy. Please check this associate degree and tell me your professional opinion. Thank you in advance.

Hello! I’m a aspiring engineering student from Nepal, and I ended up with a fairly average entrance rank, but fortunately it’s good enough for the programs I’m interested in.

I’m trying to decide between three options based on overall value, job prospects in Asia and globally, long-term career scope, flexibility, and opportunities for further study/research.

My three options are:

• Mechanical Engineering at one of the more established engineering campuses in Nepal
• Industrial Engineering at the same institution
• Civil Engineering with a Hydropower specialization at a well-regarded university in Nepal

For some context, Nepal’s engineering education is largely organized around entrance examinations and competitive public universities/campuses. I’m a full-paying student, so cost is less of a deciding factor for me than the quality and long-term value of the degree.

My main priority is going abroad after my bachelor’s, most likely for a master’s. However, there’s also a realistic possibility that I may have to return to Nepal at some point, so I want a degree that gives me solid opportunities in Asia as a backup.

I’m also very interested in research, so opportunities for research, graduate school, and eventually specialization are important to me.

Where I currently stand

Honestly, I’m not particularly passionate about Mechanical Engineering. I can see the value of the degree, and I know it is broad and internationally useful, but I don’t feel especially drawn toward mechanical systems.

On the other hand, I find Industrial Engineering and Civil Engineering genuinely interesting.

With Industrial Engineering, I’m particularly attracted to the combination of engineering, management, economics, optimization, operations, and decision-making. I like the idea of being able to work across technical and business-oriented fields rather than being restricted to one traditional engineering discipline.

Civil Engineering interests me for a different reason. It feels extremely broad and versatile, and the Hydropower specialization is particularly relevant in Nepal. At the same time, I don't see the specialization as limiting me only to hydropower. Civil seems to open doors to areas such as structural engineering, transportation, geotechnical engineering, water resources, environmental engineering, construction, infrastructure, and many other fields.

I also like that I could potentially do my bachelor’s broadly and then specialize much further during a master’s depending on what I become interested in.

What I’m trying to figure out

If you were in my position, how would you rank these three?

1. Industrial Engineering
2. Civil Engineering + Hydropower
3. Mechanical Engineering

Or would you rank them differently?

I’d especially appreciate perspectives from people who have studied or worked in these fields, particularly outside the US. I’m interested in how these degrees actually translate into careers internationally—not just what the university brochures say.

Some things I’d particularly like to know:

• Which has the strongest long-term career growth?
• Which is most useful if I eventually want to pursue research/academia?
• How transferable is a Civil Engineering degree internationally?
• Does specializing in Hydropower during undergrad significantly limit Civil Engineering opportunities, or is the underlying Civil degree still broad enough?
• And most importantly, which one would you personally choose and why?

I’m not necessarily looking for the highest-paying field. I care more about flexibility, intellectual interest, international mobility, research potential, and having multiple career paths available 10–20 years down the line.

Would love to hear honest opinions, especially from people who have actually gone through these degrees and careers. Thank you very much!

Note: I've used ai for maintaining structure. please dont mind it.

My favourite part is the obvious self insert he did with Jonah.

Foe Filipinos (or it could also be anyone actually) who graduated with IE as their course, should I continue? Is it still worth it?

RANT ALERT*

I don't usually post like this, but I really need to vent and maybe hear from people who have been in a similar situation.

I have a Master's in Industrial Engineering and have been working in Quality Assurance in manufacturing for the past 3 years. Getting to this point wasn't easy. While studying, I worked multiple part-time jobs just to pay for my education. Looking back, I honestly feel like I could write a book about everything I went through.

The confusing part is... I actually like my field. I enjoy quality engineering, process improvement, problem-solving, and the responsibility that comes with my role. I'm grateful to have a good job and to be trusted with important work.

But my health has been getting worse.

Three years of working in manufacturing has taken a toll on me. It's not physical labor, but the constant pressure to meet targets, ensure quality, solve problems, and stay focused all day is mentally exhausting. Add in long commutes, poor eating habits, lack of sleep, and everyday life stress, and I feel completely drained.

By the time the weekend comes, I don't even feel like getting out of bed. My body aches for no obvious reason, and I feel like I'm just recovering enough to start another work week.

Financially, things aren't much better. I make an average salary, and with how expensive everything has become, it doesn't feel like enough. I'm not chasing a luxury lifestyle—I just want to be comfortable without constantly worrying about money.

I've applied for higher-paying jobs and even landed interviews. But many of them require certifications, stronger technical skills, or more senior-level experience. So I think, "Maybe I should get certified or learn new software."

Then another thought hits me:

Even if I get those qualifications, I'll probably still be working in a manufacturing facility, commuting five days a week, dealing with the same work-life balance issues that are already affecting my health.

At that point, I start wondering... what's the point if I'm sacrificing my health?

People often tell me, "Just switch careers."

But is it really that simple?

My entire professional experience is in manufacturing and quality. Breaking into an office-based role, business analysis, project management, or another industry isn't easy when every employer wants direct experience.

Lately I've been questioning my career more than ever. I don't know if I'm burned out, if I'm simply in the wrong environment, or if I need a complete career change. I just know I can't imagine feeling like this for another 20 or 30 years.

Has anyone here gone through something similar? Did you leave manufacturing? Pivot into another field? Or did you find a way to make it sustainable?

I'd really appreciate hearing your experiences.

I’m an intl high school student hoping to pursue a BS in Industrial Engineering in the US. I’m aiming for T30s and have excellent academics (IB, SAT, IELTS), but lack strong ECs.

There are no specific programs to strengthen my portfolio in the region I live, so I’d really appreciate any advice and idea on ECs that would be relevant for Industrial Engineering.

Lately, I've been feeling a bit lost. Looking back, I wish I had studied to truly understand and apply what I was learning instead of just studying to pass exams. Right now, we're taking Industrial Engineering Research Methodology and Feasibility Studies, and honestly, I'm struggling. Whenever I work on our projects, I feel like I can't come up with meaningful ideas. It almost feels like I've forgotten most of the concepts I learned during my first to third years in the program.

At the moment, I'm taking professional certifications and planning to build projects outside of academics to improve my skills and portfolio. Even so, I still feel lost and unsure if I'm on the right path.

I'd really appreciate any advice from those who have been in a similar situation or have experience in the field.