Advance Your Career With Rutgers’ Mini MBA Program for Engineers

Professionals who specialize in engineering and technology management must understand cross-discipline concepts and contribute to multifunctional teams. Although technical expertise is important, it is not enough for long-term career growth and success.

Many engineers and technical professionals lack vital skills. And with the recent transition to working remotely, many organizations aren't doing enough to train them. The consequences are telling, according to LinkedIn Learning. LinkedIn's guide, "How Learning Programs Attract and Retain Top Talent," says employees who feel their career goals are being sidelined are 12 times more likely to consider leaving their job.

By investing in leadership development programs for employees, organizations have been able to retain their best talent. In a survey of employers by CareerBuilder on the impact of hiring people with advanced degrees, 32 percent saw an increase in retention. That is why IEEE partnered with the Rutgers Business School to provide the only mini MBA program designed for teams of engineers and technical professionals.

"This course was well structured and gave us a taste of the world outside of the engineering realm."

Recently ranked as one of the top three mini MBA programs by Forbes, the IEEE | Rutgers Online Mini-MBA for Engineers is an entirely virtual program that offers foundational courses traditionally taught in master of business administration programs. Courses cover accounting, business communication, business ethics, entrepreneurship, finance, managerial economics, management, marketing, operations, and strategic management.

Completion of the program allows learners to:

• Understand how organizational decisions are made from both operational and technical points of view.
• Gain knowledge on how various teams within an organization can better work together to meet goals.
• Leverage their new business skills in order to align their technical know-how with business strategy.

FEEDBACK

Here is what a couple of program graduates are saying:

"The reason I took this course was to get a better understanding of 'the other side,'" says IEEE Senior Member Sohaib Qamar Sheikh, a technology associate at a large commercial property development and investment company in the United Kingdom. "This course was well structured and gave us a taste of the world outside of the engineering realm. It has helped me get a better understanding of various other dimensions associated with our business products."

"I decided to take the program for the following reasons: It is cost-effective, rich in content, and flexible to fit my schedule," says IEEE Member Anis Ben Arfi, a systems engineer with Analog Devices. "Undertaking my mini MBA course, I learned various skills and improved my potential to handle business operations with ease. I am more informed about trade secrets and patents, more familiar with the product life cycle, different metrics to assess and measure customer experiences, and agile project management processes. My advice for aspiring applicants is: If you get an opportunity to be on board with this journey, please grab it."

HOW TO SIGN UP

Registration is now open for individuals interested in participating in next year's sessions. Two sessions are available. One begins in March; the other in September. The deadline to register for the March session is 4 February, and the deadline to register for the September session is 15 August. Individuals interested in registering can contact an IEEE account specialist.

The IEEE | Rutgers Online Mini-MBA for Engineers is also offered to organizations interested in getting access for groups of 10 or more. If you are interested in group access and pricing, including the option of a customized capstone designed for your organization's needs, contact an IEEE account specialist.

COMPLIMENTARY VIRTUAL EVENTS

Interested in learning more about leadership? Here are two free IEEE on-demand virtual events that can help future leaders bridge the gap between business and engineering as they prepare for growth into management roles:

• Lessons in Leadership: Preparing the Future Leaders of Your Engineering Workforce.

• Building Engineering Leaders in the 21st Century.