How to Become a Manufacturing Engineer: Quick Facts

What Does a Manufacturing Engineer do

• The main function of a manufacturing engineer is to keep a check on the performance of the operating unit. 
• He/She is responsible for checking the raw material usage, quality of the raw material being used in the manufacturing process, production process, regular performance of the unit, identifying the problems and implementing the solutions for them. 
• A manufacturing engineer makes sure that safe work practices are being followed. 
• They collaborate with the production planning unit, quality assurance unit, operations manufacturing unit, production and process engineering unit for a better working environment.
• A manufacturing engineer is also known as a production engineer because he/she is responsible for changing the raw material into a useful product. 
• In this process, the manufacturing engineer must make sure that the production procedure has been done in the most efficient and economic way.

Steps to become a Manufacturing Engineer

There are a number of steps which must be followed if you want to become a successful manufacturing engineer. Some of these steps have been mentioned below.

Make a Decision

• Before you step into the career of a manufacturing engineer, you need to know your interest areas. 
• You need to check what subject combinations will help you to become a manufacturing engineer in class 12th and after class 12th what courses you should do to make a career in this field. 
• As a manufacturing engineer you will have to communicate with a lot of people and work in different working environments. 
• Sometimes you will have to exceed your working hours particularly when a new project is going on. 
• A manufacturing engineer needs to have a lot of patience to deal with all these situations.

Choose the correct subjects

• To become a manufacturing engineer it is necessary to choose the correct subject combination in class 12th which will help you to pursue this career in the future. 
• For manufacturing engineering you must choose Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as your subject combinations.
• A bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational qualification to become a manufacturing engineer. 
• A candidate must try to earn a B.Tech degree in Production/Manufacturing engineering/Industrial engineering/ Mechanical engineering or Process engineering.

Prepare for Entrance Exam

• To become a Manufacturing engineer one can get admission to a good college through JEE Main/Advanced or through State Level Examinations. 
• One can also take the entrance tests conducted by different universities to take admission to a manufacturing engineering course. 
• Some of the private universities also take direct admission without an engineering exam score.

Finding the perfect college

• There are many top colleges like Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, IIT Bombay etc that offer courses in manufacturing engineering. 
• To get admissions into these colleges one needs to qualify JEE Main and JEE Advanced. 
• The scores of JEE Main/Advanced will tell which colleges you are eligible for. 
• If you have a lower score in JEE Main then you can get admission into several state universities as well as private universities offering this course.

After Qualifying the exam

• After qualifying the entrance examination students can select the college of their choice and can sit in the counseling session of that college. 
• Once the counseling session is completed students can get admission into that college. 

Types of Manufacturing Engineers

Production Engineer

A Production Engineer is responsible for producing a useful product with the help of raw materials. They design, plan, develop and manage the different stages involved in producing a good quality product. Production engineers identify the problem areas in the manufacturing process and implement solutions accordingly. The average salary of such a professional ranges around INR 4.8 LPA.

Process Engineer

The main function of a process engineer is to analyze the process system and implement effective solutions to improve the manufacturing process. They plan and develop the process ideas to make the production work successful in the cheapest and best way possible. The average salary of a process engineer ranges from INR 4 LPA to INR 6 LPA.

Quality Engineer

The main focus of the Quality engineer is to ensure a quality product. He/She keeps a check on the quality of the product being manufactured. He suggests the ideas to be implemented for a good quality product. The average salary of such a professional ranges around INR 5 LPA.

Industrial Managers

The industrial managers manage the manufacturing procedures and relevant work. He/she decided how to utilize the labor most efficiently and what are the best tools required for the manufacturing process. He/She fixes the issues related to manufacturing and prepares the daily production reports. The average salary of an Industrial Manager ranges around 4.2 LPA.

Health and Safety Engineers

The main work of a health and safety engineer is to ensure whether the manufacturing process is being completed following all the safety protocols so that nobody gets any harm or illness while doing the production work. He/she is also responsible for preventing any property from damage during the manufacturing process. They typically manage the office work. When any issue arises the health and safety engineer tries to identify the root cause and what is the solution for solving the issue.

Management Engineer

Management engineers are responsible for the improvement of the service quality and work with the team members of all the departments to boost the productivity level. They are responsible for maintaining the organizational structure, improving the work conditions, workload management, decision making and watching the operations performance. The average salary of such a professional ranges from iNR3.5 LPA to INR 5 LPA.

How to become a Manufacturing Engineer in India?

Becoming a Manufacturing Engineer is a challenging task. Candidates who wish to become a manufacturing engineer must start thinking right after passing class 10th examination. They must think about the right subject combination to be taken in the intermediate and after passing class 12th what will be their next step. Below is the right guidance for you on how to become a manufacturing engineer in India.

School level preparation

• Students after passing class 10th must choose the Science stream i.e, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as their subject combinations in intermediate. 
• This will help them in their preparations to become a manufacturing engineer from the ground level. 
• They will have their basics clear by taking these subject combinations. 
• Subjects like PCM are necessary for sitting in the examinations like JEE Mains and Advance as well as state level engineering entrance examinations.
• To pursue B.Tech or Diploma in Manufacturing Engineering you must have obtained 50% aggregate marks in class 12th from a recognized board as Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as your subject combinations.

UG Level Preparation

• After taking admission into the college of your choice, you must decide whether you want to go for higher studies such as BTech or BE.
• Throughout the course you can also join any organization and gain work experience as a Manufacturing Engineer. 
• Try to look for internship opportunities during your graduation as an engineer.
• This will help you gain work experience and will also let you know about the job nature of a manufacturing engineer. Internships will help you fetch better job opportunities. 
• If you want to go for higher studies, then try to find out the colleges that are offering you good placement opportunities. 
• Make a list of those colleges and start preparing for the entrance exams in which you will have to appear to get admission into those colleges.

Post Graduation Level Preparation

• After taking admission to a college offering post graduation in Manufacturing Engineering, again you must decide whether you want to go for higher studies such as MTech or ME in manufacturing engineering or you want to join any organization to work as a manufacturing engineer. 
• If you want to go for higher studies then start preparing for the entrance exam such as UGC NET.
• Also try to gain more and more work experience by doing internships because it will also help you at the time of your admission for Phd in any university. 
• Work experience gained during graduation and post graduation will give you the best job opportunities available in the market.

Courses to become a Manufacturing Engineer

BTech in Manufacturing Engineering

BTech in Manufacturing Engineering is a 4 year UG course that provides students with hands-on experience in regards to the ever evolving manufacturing techniques of various forms of machinery by aiding them and making them aware of its efficiency and productivity.

Admission Process

• For admission to a good government college qualifying popular engineering entrance examinations JEE Mains and JEE Advanced is necessary. 
• Private colleges conduct their own entrance examinations or sometimes they also take admission on the merit basis. 

Eligibility Criteria

• 10+2 pass out with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as their subject combination from a recognized board with at least 50% marks.

BE Production Engineering

BE Production Engineering is a 4 year UG course that enables the aspirants to improve efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing and service sector industries. Planning, efficient design and manufacturing processes are some of the key areas of this course.

BE Production Engineering Admission Process

• Admission to the B.Tech. program in Production Engineering is based on merit in the entrance exam.
• Candidates are accepted through the websites of the various universities.
• To begin applying for the course of your choice, go to the university's website and register.
• Fill out the application form and attach all of the necessary documentation.
• Pay the application cost via the internet.
• Examine the application form before submitting it.

BE Production Engineering: Eligibility for the Entrance Exam

• Students must have completed 10+2 or equivalent with a minimum of 60 percent - 70% marks from a recognized board to be eligible for the program.
• For students in the reserved group, there is a 5% moderation.
• There will be no receptacles accepted. Students must earn a minimum of 10+2 credits.
• Physics, mathematics, and chemistry should be the primary subjects for students.

BBA Operations Management

BBA Operations Management is a 3 year UG course that studies advanced lessons in management, organization, statistics for business, materials management, quality management and information technology. 

BBA in Operations Management: Admission Process

• The admissions procedure differs from one college to the next. 
• BBA operations management admissions are granted on the basis of merit and entrance examinations administered by various universities. 
• Only a few colleges have group discussions and personal interviews before admitting students.

BBA in Operations Management: Eligibility for the Entrance Exam

• Candidates must have completed Class 10+2 from a recognized board with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks to be eligible to study BBA Operations Management.

MBA Production Management

MBA Production Management is a 2 year PG course that deals with the production management of an organization, manufacturing industry. Throughout the course, students are taught to be responsible for production, maintenance of raw materials and equipment, quality control, product coordination etc.

MBA in Production Management Admission Process

The entrance exam is used to determine admission to the MBA Production Management program, which is followed by a round of counselling sessions.

• CAT/MAT/ XAT/ CMAT/ SNAP are some of the most common national or state-level entrance tests.
• Few colleges, on the other hand, hold their own admission exam and interview round to choose candidates for this program.
• The majority of MBA course applications are accepted in the months of August and September.
• This year's exam may be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic issue. Both online and offline applications are accepted for this course.
• Candidates' success in the entrance exam and qualifying examination determines the final admission list for the MBA Production Management program. To ensure their position, the shortlisted candidates must go through the counselling process.
• For final seat allotment for the academic year, provide all essential documentation as well as the entrance fee.

MBA in Production Management: Eligibility for the Entrance Exam

• Candidates who have earned a bachelor's degree in any field or an equivalent certification from a recognized university with a minimum aggregate score of 50% are eligible to apply for this course study.

How to become a Manufacturing Engineer Abroad

Pursuing technical courses abroad to become a Manufacturing Production Technician is one of the most in-demand occupations, one should not be concerned about their future prospects. This course's difficulty level is roughly identical to that of the Indian version.

USA

• International students can pursue a full-time undergraduate and master's degree in Manufacturing engineering or Production Engineering in the United States.
• Educational Requirements - Students must have completed a 10+2 or bachelor's degree in any field before enrolling in Bachelor’s or Master’s courses respectively in the United States. At their academic levels, students should have production, technical, manufacturing and other related topics as one of their primary subjects.
• International students must be able to communicate in English and must submit a score on an English proficiency test.
• A bachelor's degree takes around three years to complete, while a master's degree takes two years.
• The cost of the course ranges from INR 12 lakhs to INR 35 lakhs.

Top Colleges

UK

• Educational Requirements - Students must have a prior degree in the science stream and a graduate degree in any appropriate stream to pursue Manufacturing or Production Engineering in the United Kingdom.
• Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Advanced Design and Manufacturing, and other specializations are among the most popular.
• The majority of the programs last between one and three years.
• The cost of a course ranges from INR 5 to INR 25 lakhs.
• At least two letters of recommendation from academic teachers are required.

Top Colleges in UK

Australia

• Educational requirements - Students should have a bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Production Engineering with a concentration before enrolling in a master's program. Students must study science disciplines in high school, such as mathematics, chemistry, physics.
• One English proficiency exam score is required of international students appearing for admission. IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, OET, and other examinations are recognized.
• Some programs demand that students have worked in a related field before enrolling. In this situation, the candidate must include all necessary documentation.
• The average course fee is INR 10 to INR 35 lakhs.

Top Colleges

Canada

• Full-time engineering programs are available in Canada, ranging from Certificate to Postgraduate level.
• Educational requirements - Students should have a bachelor's degree in a related field before enrolling in a master's program. Students also must have at least 3.0 GPA and a valid score in TOEFL, IELTS, etc.
• One English proficiency exam score is required of international students. IELTS, TOEFL, CAE, OET, and other examinations are recognized.
• Some programs demand that students have worked in a related field before enrolling. In this situation, the application must include all necessary documentation.
• The average course fee is INR 10 to INR 35 lakhs.

Top Colleges in USA

Benefits of Career as a Manufacturing Engineer

There are several benefits of becoming a manufacturing engineer. Some of the benefits have been mentioned below.

• Salary: a manufacturing engineer earns well. The starting salary ranges between INR 4,00,000 to INR 6,00,000. The salary increases with the increasing job experience.
• Job Security: everywhere in the private sector, the job security depends upon the hard work you do and how beneficial you are for the organizations. The job security will only depend on what benefits you are adding to the organization. However, engineers have better job security when compared to the other professions.
• Positive Impact of the Career: a manufacturing engineer learns to be active in life as he/she must know what new developments and trends are going on in the production field. 
• Higher studies: After completing your bachelors in manufacturing engineering you can also do masters in manufacturing engineering or can pursue doctorate level education. This will help you fetch better job opportunities.
• Unique Experience: Candidates in this profession work in a multicultural environment. Also he/she develops new products, technologies and trends. Learn to solve issues quickly by implementing solutions.

Skills required for a Manufacturing Engineering

To become a manufacturing engineer students must have certain skills in them. Some of the skills mandatory to become a manufacturing engineer are given below. 

Salary of a Manufacturing Engineer in India

The average starting salary of a manufacturing engineer ranges between INR 4,00,000 to INR 6,00,000. The salary increases experience wise or seniority level wise.

Average Annual Salary

Specialization Wise

Experience Wise Salary

After the Manufacturing Engineering Course

Higher Education

After completing Masters in Manufacturing Engineering one can also go for Ph.D in manufacturing engineering. Colleges like NIT Jamshedpur, NIFFT Ranchi, BITS Mesra etc offer Phd in manufacturing engineering. Ph.D courses give better job opportunities to the candidates. Candidates can also become assistant professors/lecturers in any government or private institution with the help of this degree.

Start Jobs

Students must try to get internships in organizations in the final year of their engineering to gain some work experience. Internship is a must for those candidates who want to see their career in the private sector as it gives them benefits at the time of placement interview. Organizations prefer those candidates who have prior work experience and therefore those candidates are preferred who have internship experience.