I want to share with you the setup of our new LMS program, as it was initiated and redesigned by prof.dr.ir. Will Bertrand. Will has been working on the new program the past few years such that it is better fitting the changed nature of working with the industry.

The very visible result of this redesign is the changed name of the program: Industrial Engineering. We choose to rename as this covers the various aspects of the program: supply chain management, operations management, but also information systems, programming, people management, and leadership skills. Additionally, logistics is more and more downsized to “only” the wheels or transportation. The Professional Doctorate in Engineering program (PDEng IE) still focuses on the multidisciplinary design and implementation of systems to manage and control design, supply, production, distribution, and maintenance of products and services. During the program, the PDEng IE trainees focus on these challenges being faced by the industry world-wide: a systems approach to problems related to effective and efficient innovation, production, distribution and use of products and services, including information and communication systems.

Important to mention is that the PDEng IE trainees now participate in industrial design/development projects for a total period of around 12 months (both project and quick scans). For the industrial partners these project are a fixed-date, fixed-price project. The design project, which is focused on delivering solutions to your practical logistics problems, enables industrial partners and TU/e to establish a close partnership. PDEng IE trainees are highly skilled engineers who use the science available at the university to solve complex logistic problems. The design projects will be defined by the company and executed by our PDEng IE trainees, supervised by one of our highly experienced design scientists, chose from the School of Industrial Engineering full professors team. The result is usually a demonstrated proof of concept or an improved control system, which goes much further than the regular Master projects. The price for such a project is 55,000 euro, a lot, but, in our experience, the value delivered is at least worth 10 times more!

Another change is that we now start the hiring process together with the companies on specific projects. The early scouting and attracting of talented logistics engineers/designers allows companies to be a step ahead of the competition in terms of the employment market. Investing in and involving a talented PDEng IE design trainee during the design project provides companies the opportunity to get to know the trainee extremely well and to find an optimal match within the company. Once the program has been completed, the Industrial Engineering Designer is ready to directly join your company!

We are currently in the process of setting up the vacancies for new trainees, expected to start in September 2015.. I am certain that in the new setup as described above, your company will benefit tremendously from working with an IE trainee.

I am always available to discuss our new PDEng IE program in more details. Take on this fantastic opportunity!