Operations Minor Exemplifies Business/Engineering Collaboration
At the suggestion of alumni and the companies that employ them, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, developed the new Operations and Supply Chain Management minor to help engineering students acquire the business skills needed to complement their technical abilities.
The recently approved 19-credit Operations and Supply Chain Management minor is the latest example of Penn State Behrend’s business and engineering collaborations, made possible by the relocation of the Sam and Irene Black School of Business and the School of Engineering to the new Research and Economic Development Center (REDC).
“As part of the ongoing accreditation processes for all our engineering programs, we conducted surveys of our alumni and their employers, and they’ve indicated a strong desire for business education opportunities to be included as part of the undergraduate curriculum,” said Ken Fisher, professor of engineering and school point person for the new minor. “Engineering students are finding that a lack of business experience becomes readily apparent when their strong technical expertise leads to a quick promotion.”
These findings are aligned with national trends reported in business and engineering trade publications.
“It is imperative that Penn State Behrend continues to follow national trends regarding business and engineering collaborations,” said Diane Parente, associate professor of management and program chair for the collaborative business/engineering minors. “The concept and, now, the reality of the REDC make it the perfect environment for our students to become high-quality employees who are educated not only in their academic discipline of choice, but also have a working knowledge of other disciplines.”
The Operations and Supply Chain Management minor is designed to educate engineering students in the issues and methods associated with managing manufacturing and service operations. Similarly, the 21-credit Technical Sales minor, which was introduced last fall, provides engineering students with the fundamentals of industrial or technical sales. Both minors are new to Penn State and offered only at Penn State Behrend.
Just steps away from their REDC engineering laboratories, students have access to upper-level courses to develop the business skills needed for professional advancement, addressing topics that include operations and project management, quality control, inventory management, transportation, procurement, logistics systems, and enterprise resource planning.
“Especially in the fast-growing small-business sector, firms can’t afford to staff a separate engineering development group,” Fisher added. “For them, an engineer with a wider grasp of business becomes an invaluable employee.”
For more information, visit www.behrend.psu.edu.