At the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), Industrial Engineering is training students to look beyond machines, focusing on how entire systems function, from people and workflows to production processes.
For Ian Osam Gyan, the programme is best understood as a blend of manufacturing, engineering and management, all working together to answer a central question: how can industries operate better?
“Industrial Engineering is more about how industries, especially manufacturing companies, function,” Gyan said. “It’s not just about production, but also about managing how companies operate, including human resources and how everything connects to the manufacturing process.”
He said this combination is what sets the field apart. Students are exposed to both the technical and human dimensions of industry, combining engineering and manufacturing courses with social science subjects aimed at improving workplace relationships.
“We learn some social courses to help improve human relations in the workplace,” he noted. “It helps us understand how to manage people better within industrial settings.”
The academic journey, however, comes with demands. Gyan said the current semester has been heavily theory-driven, with coursework centred on mechanics, physics and mathematics.
Despite the theoretical emphasis, practical training remains a core component. He said students still participated in laboratory sessions, including testing metals and using industrial instruments.
“Usually, our practical courses come in the second semester,” he said. “This time, we mostly had lab work.”
As students progress to higher levels, particularly in their third and fourth years, they are required to specialise in fields such as Plant Engineering, which focuses on manufacturing systems and industrial operations, or Automobile Engineering, which centres on vehicle technologies.
For Gyan, the programme goes beyond academic study. He described it as a foundation for solving real-world industrial problems in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
“To wrap up this semester, I’ll describe it as adventurous, one that has taught me a lot of lessons and helped me gain momentum in my engineering journey,” he said. “I recommend it to science students willing to pursue engineering. It’s a very good course to try.”
