WHY DO ENGINEERS PURSUE AN MBA?

On January 8, 2018, newspapers carried the news of 3 IIT Bombay students who cracked the CAT, the most demanding entrance exam to the IIMs in India. The 3 students, Mayank, Raj, and Utkarsh Gupta are among the top 20 students across the country to get the highest scores. These IIT engineers have already decided to pursue an MBA in the most reputed management school in India.

So the question one wants to ask is: Why do engineering students prefer to pursue an MBA after completing their graduation?
Before we get on to the ‘why MBA?’ let’s understand what skills do engineers acquire through their intensive four years of engineering education.

Students who opt for Computer engineering study various aspects of computers, technology, and software development. Most jobs that pertain to Tech and ITES, prefer candidates with a technical background. That’s why students who have chosen computer engineering seem like the best fit for such technology based roles.

In the case of civil, mechanical, electrical, and chemical engineering students, there are a slew of careers in the energy, power, and infrastructure industries. Companies that have huge manufacturing, distribution, and factory units prefer engineering students with the relevant subject specializations.

Why MBA after Engineering?
For engineers with a sound technical background, a job in their own technical specialization seems like the perfect fit. For instance, a computer engineer would most probably be happy to work in top IT companies such as Google, Facebook, or Infosys.

However, mid-career, when the software professional has leveraged his or her skills to maximize learning as well as career growth, there can come a time when the career graph plateaus. This is because, for any professional to climb further up, the professional would need management skills.

To break from the technical mold, and blend seamlessly into mainstream management roles, it makes good sense for engineers to upskill by studying in an MBA program. Past successes of engineers with an MBA background prove that the rock solid grounding of technical knowledge, along with the softer edge of management skills is the perfect recipe for success in any enterprise.

This is not just the opinion of educators, institutions, and job applicants. The corporate world also resonates this theory that an engineering education with an MBA for post-graduation is the best combination of skill and knowledge required to gain traction for your career. With a managerial background, engineers can hope to fast-track their career to higher supervisory roles, and even visionary roles. This would be painfully slow growth for an engineer without a management knowledge.

Should One Pursue MBA Immediately After Engineering?
One of the most important questions is whether to join MBA immediately after engineering or to work and then join. An MBA expands the horizon of their education in the wider areas of management. Most top-rated management schools prefer applicants with some work experience. The reason is apparent. Many of the course subjects in an MBA program revolve around concepts and principles that you would learn only through work experience. Without some work experience, it would be difficult to apply those concepts in reality. The gap between academic theory and practical world can only be bridged through work experience. The ability of the person with work experience to interact, discuss and handle a particular situation will always have a more practical approach than a fresher. Hence it is always advisable to work for a couple of years in a company that gives you reasonable exposure to different functions and departments.

Are There Situations Where an Engineer Does Not Need an MBA Degree?
Yes, there are. Not always do engineers prefer to pursue an MBA program. While it is true that getting an MBA after an engineering degree is always a plus point, it may not be the ideal career choice for some engineers. If you are one of those students, with deep interest in your core technical field, you should consider opting for advanced technical degree, such as Masters in your area of specialization. For instance, you could choose to get into deep-tech research on particle physics in a top ranking Masters program in the USA, and get employed with top private firms or government bodies to conduct R&D on scientific projects. You could also pursue research programs or a Ph.D. in a specialized subject. There are many jobs that require super-specialized industry experts, and you could fit the bill if you have the right technical research and knowledge under your belt.

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Vibha Kagzi, Founder and CEO, ReachIvy, holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a Bachelor of Science from Carnegie Mellon University. She has also pursued courses at the University of California, Berkeley, the London School of Economics and the Indian School of Business.

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