Making the Makers

Oakland University’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) is constructing a new chapter in Michigan’s engineering education. In this chapter, industry needs and academic innovation come together as new forward-looking programs are emerging in response to the urgent question:  how do we build talent ready for the jobs that don’t yet exist?

It starts with a vision shaped by both demand and optimism. Surrounded by some of the nation’s leading manufacturing enterprises and located at the heart of rapid regional growth, the ISE department has taken a lead to produce workforce-ready engineers in a landscape reshaped by digital transformation, infrastructure investment and ongoing automation.

“The Master of Science in Smart Manufacturing (MSSM) is launching as the ink dries on government strategic plans and industry wish lists. Both federal grants and labor statistics show explosive demand, with over 150,000 job postings and median salaries soaring past $100,000,” explains Vijitashwa Pandey, Ph.D., professor and department chair.

At the other end, the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Construction Engineering Management (CEM), scheduled for enrollment in Fall 2026,  bring the same spirit of reinvention to the infrastructure revival in the Midwest and beyond. The CEM programs will arrive to remedy multi-million-dollar work force shortages, pending retirements and calls for talent.

“Federal initiatives, such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), are channeling $16.7 billion into transportation, broadband, energy and water infrastructure in Michigan alone. At the same time, the industry faces a projected shortage of  439,000 workers nationally with 18% retiring  by the end of the decade,” Dr. Pandey says.

The new programs’ curricula are a combination of core theory, hands-on application and on-site leadership. MSSM offers options to dig deep into digital twins, artificial intelligence, AR/VR and collaborative robotics, while within CEM students dive into digital tools like Building Information Modeling, wrangle real-world problems in living lab partnerships with industry and prepare for roles that blend technical precision with managerial savvy.

“This will make engineers not just users of current technology, but makers of manufacturing’s next moves,” Dr. Pandey adds.

What also unifies these programs is the department’s strive for relevance and adaptability. Whether a student is prepping for 3D-printed building sites or programming cyber-physical systems in the next-generation plant, the department’s blueprint is clear: graduates must be able to lead teams, communicate across cultures and steer projects with both technical expertise and ethical clarity.

“Oakland’s undergraduate CEM students will also be among the few in the region graduating from an ABET-aligned, engineering school program, while our masters’ programs offer online classes and various tracks, allowing students to obtain these master’s degrees at their own pace,” Dr. Pandey says.

“ISE is taking bold steps in student support and industry engagement. Peer mentorship launches with the very first term. Internships, capstone projects and advisory board feedback keep the programs tuned to the pulse of the economy. Faculty members bring their latest research straight to the undergraduates and graduate students in the room. These programs are structured to keep evolving, building bridges from college to career, project to profession,” adds SECS Dean Louay M. Chamra.

In a world where automation and infrastructure may change as quickly as the job postings themselves, innovation isn’t just about what’s invented in a lab or drafted on a screen. It is about the makers: people empowered to adapt, collaborate and lead. The direction taken by the ISE department ensures that their graduates will make the future — not just meet it.