Major: Finance
Minors: Supply Chain Engineering Technology & Real Estate Finance
Expected Date of Graduation:
May 2024
Why did you pursue supply chain as a minor?
There were multiple reasons that prompted me to enroll in this minor. The first one was my background, because my family in India has had active business interests in logistics and automobile distribution for decades. Therefore, taking this minor seemed like the perfect opportunity to help me understand what this discipline is really all about, and how I can identify and create value. The second reason was my passion for cars. I have always been fascinated by engineering and have seen endless documentaries on factories around the world. This minor offered me the chance to study in detail what a professional working in this industry must know, and would therefore help me turn my passion into a career. The third reason to pursue a supply chain minor was to add some exciting courses to my plan of study, because finance courses are very theoretical in nature with little exposure to real world applications, whereas the supply chain courses on the other hand would teach me concepts which I could easily apply in real life scenarios.
Why do you think that the knowledge of supply chains is important for engineers in organisations today?
The supply chain is the backbone of the global economy, and if it does not function well or develops bottlenecks, engineers around the world would face difficulties in delivering/manufacturing/selling their products/services. This question was amplified and demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic wherein, the global supply chain and its dependency on China’s manufacturing grinded to a halt. Engineers were rushing to shift production closer to their locations and sought to reduce bottlenecks to meet their requirements. This jolt was much needed for everyone to realise the unsung impact of logistics in the globalised world today. It is as simple as – if we don’t get our factors of production in time, our outputs will be delayed.
What are some of your favourite memories as a student in your Industrial Engineering Technology (IET) classes?
As a supply chain minor, my first class was with Professor Jim (IET 21400). I am extremely passionate about cars and engineering, and this course was all about global automotive manufacturing which was right up my alley. I took this a step further by enrolling myself in the multinational European study abroad program where we visited the factories and museums of automotive giants such as BMW and Skoda. The visits to the port of Rotterdam and Hamburg were extremely interesting as well and this trip helped me develop a new passion/interest – architecture.
What is your advice for future students?
I would advise all future students to develop a strong work ethic and discipline knowledge, early on in their university lives. This is the most critical path to academic success, as these classes are very content and assignment heavy and the best way to succeed is to stay ahead of all the new developments. I would also advise them to keep introspecting their decisions – Why have I chosen this major/minor? Do I enjoy it? Do I see myself working in this field in the future? Am I genuinely interested in the topics taught in these classes or am I just taking these classes for the sake of it? What is a passion of mine which I can relate to these fields of study? These inquiries will help them to stay on track with their ambitions so they don’t waste time.
What are your future goals and endeavours?
I will be working as a full-time market analyst/consultant at Ducker Carlisle in Detroit. After gaining a few years worth of real-life work experience, I hope to head back to my home country of India where my family has a business presence in the fields of real estate, automotive dealerships, and logistics. I want to use my academic and work experience and new knowledge to add value to and grow these businesses. My goal is to modernize, smoothen and establish processes and systems of work and future proof these businesses.