How production engineering shaped my career path

As an inquisitive child, I always loved unraveling the intricacies of mechanical devices and systems. Taking things apart and putting them back together was my favorite pastime.

This early fascination ultimately led me to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Production Engineering - a unique, versatile field that sits at the intersection of hands-on engineering and business management principles.

During the time I was an undergraduate in the historic Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (in Mumbai, India), the Production Engineering program was referred to as the "Industrial Engineering" curriculum in the university. While more mainstream branches like Mechanical, Civil or Computer Engineering tended to draw the bulk of the student community, Production / Industrial Engineering offered a compelling hybrid covering concepts from multiple domains.

The core of our studies still revolved around fundamental mechanical engineering topics like design, dynamics, thermodynamics and mechanics. We had to master these central tenets before branching out into more specialized subjects.

However, what made our program truly distinctive was the additional focus on manufacturing processes, production planning, and business operations management. We spent a considerable amount of time learning how to methodically design complex equipment optimized for efficient mass production environments.

From factory layout planning to supply chain logistics, our courses covered the full gamut of activities involved in large-scale manufacturing operations. Studying production processes like machining, mold design and automation exposed us to both the engineering artistry as well as economic considerations.

Quite uniquely, we were also taught concepts spanning costing, accounting, quality assurance and even basic human resources principles like Maslow's theory of motivation. While seemingly unrelated to hardcore engineering, these topics gave us a true appreciation for the business aspects underlying successful manufacturing enterprises. The breadth of our curriculum was simply unparalleled.

Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was to receive such holistic, cross-disciplinary training not offered by most traditional engineering schools. The combination of technical skills and real-world business acumen perfectly prepared me to drive impact across the entire manufacturing lifecycle. Whether it was optimizing assembly lines, managing operations and personnel, or developing new production equipment and processes, I now had versatile skills bridging the realms of machinery and management.

Chalking a Career Path - My Internship

While most peers opted for more commonplace engineering majors, I had carved an unconventional path aligned with my innate curiosities and strengths. Even today, only a handful of top colleges in India provide this level of industrial engineering instruction. But from a global perspective, the core topics encompassed by production engineering are widely studied and highly sought-after by leading universities and corporations worldwide - just under different naming conventions.

My decision to pursue the unique path was validated during an internship at Godrej & Boyce, where I had the opportunity to work on industrial-scale pressure vessel production lines. These massive metal containers, used for storing fluids and gases under pressure, could range from 5 to over 20 meters in length!

With diameters spanning several meters and incredibly thick 50-220mm exotic alloy construction, crafting these behemoths with precision tolerances under 0.1mm was a manufacturing marvel.

Watching these giant high-pressure vessels take shape from raw materials was an unforgettable experience. State-of-the-art metalworking machinery like lathes, cutters and rollers would sculpt the alloy plates and cylinders with extreme accuracy before robotic welding arms fused the components together. Rigorous quality checks and stress testing ensured every inch met stringent safety norms for mission-critical refinery and chemical plant installations.

This early exposure truly opened my eyes to the scale and complexity involved in large manufacturing projects. It was the perfect initiation into my career bridging engineering and business roles within industrial operations.

A Passionate Journey...

After my internship, I joined Godrej's Process Equipment division full-time and spent three years being mentored on increasingly ambitious pressure vessel projects. I discovered first-hand how to translate customer needs into robust technical specifications, plan resources accordingly, ensure timely procurement of materials and schedule work across assembly lines for maximum throughput - all while maintaining strict quality protocols. My production engineering background was invaluable in helping me rapidly ramp up and contribute across this ecosystem.

Looking ahead, I am excited to continue on this unique path blending deep technical knowhow with big-picture operational mastery. My passion lies in bridging the seemingly disparate worlds of machinery and management to drive efficient, innovative and sustainable manufacturing practices.

So stay tuned as I share more perspectives from my ongoing journey!