What is Manufacturing Engineering?
Are you hoping to study engineering, but you’re not sure which branch to focus on? Manufacturing engineering might be one of the lesser-known fields, but it’s also one of the most important, combining the popular disciplines of mechanical, mechatronics, and material engineering.
As a manufacturing engineer, you’ll be tasked with using hi-tech and automation skills to turn raw material into new products in the most effective, efficient, and economical way you can. It’s your job to research and develop tools, processes, machines, and equipment, and to combine them all to meet your goals.
At UBC, you’ll get the chance to study manufacturing processes, from designing concepts and creating mechanical parts all the way through to product delivery. Studying on UBC’s Okanagan or Vancouver campus – or both – you’ll gain the technical skills to set you up for a broad range of jobs in the industry.
Why choose Manufacturing Engineering?
Why should you pick the Manufacturing Engineering program at UBC? Here are five reasons:
- It’s the first degree of its kind in B.C. There aren’t many examples of fully-fledged manufacturing programs at research universities in Canada, and none in British Columbia. Manufacturing is one of the most important industries in the country, accounting for 10 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP). UBC’s program offers you the specialized education at a world top 40 university to enter this important market.
- You’ll get to spend time on both the Okanagan and Vancouver campuses. Prospective UBC students typically have to pick either the Okanagan or Vancouver campus for their program, but Manufacturing Engineering is different. For your fourth-year final project, you’ll have the chance to specialize, and can choose either production management on the Okanagan campus or technical manufacturing on the Vancouver campus.
- You’ll get to master some cutting-edge manufacturing tools. Automation and digitalization are essential to the field, and UBC’s manufacturing program has been designing to train students in state-of-the-art techniques. You’ll learn how to master artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and manipulate advanced materials during the program.
- You can study abroad for a semester, and gain course credit. As a Manufacturing Engineering student, you’ll have the chance to broaden your academic and cultural experience by spending time at a leading university in another country. You can choose to be a part of the Coordinated International Experience(CIE) program and study for a semester in Asia, Australia, and Europe, gaining credit for your UBC degree while you’re there.
- There are plenty of opportunities for co-op placements. As part of your program, you can participate in the Engineering co-opfor up to 20 months of paid engineering work experience to apply the skills you’ve learned in the classroom. Participating in a co-op offers a competitive advantage when you’re looking for the best job after you graduate, and UBC has the largest engineering co-op program in Western Canada and one of the most successful in the country.