It is no secret that engineering firms favour graduates who can solve real-world problems using the right practical skills and applied knowledge. Praneashram Dhuraimurugan was well aware of this when he was looking for ways to bridge the gap between his undergraduate studies and the increasing demands of an Industrial Engineering career.
That was when he decided to pursue a master’s degree at Purdue University.
“Purdue University’s Professional Master’s Programme in Industrial Engineering is unique because it allows students to work with leading companies through fall and spring semesters for course credit,” he says.
As early as his first semester here, Dhuraimurugan had already worked with the baggage operations team at American Airlines, which resulted in an internship there that summer. His newly developed skills landed him a summer internship at American Airlines and a co-op at Tesla before he resumed his degree to work on a couple more projects with American Airlines.
“I’ll share three key takeaways: first, the programme gave me an invaluable experience in solving meaningful problems and learning new skills along the way,” he says. “Secondly, I was able to build multiple professional connections, and thirdly, I learned to cultivate relationships with clients, which also paved the way for precious internship and full-time opportunities.”
Purdue’s Professional Master’s Programme in Industrial Engineering is ranked sixth best Graduate Industrial Engineering Programme in the US (US News & World Report 2025). Source: Purdue University
Another student, Thea Mudaliar, achieved similar feats with the PMP in Industrial Engineering.
Unlike Dhuraimurugan, Mudaliar had a background in Industrial Engineering before joining the PMP. Thus, when she joined projects with industry giants like Tesla, Eaton, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, seemingly everything she knew came to life. “My training as a digital OPEX transformation leader has equipped me with the skills necessary for leading operational excellence in the digital age,” she says. “Through these projects, I’ve gained invaluable skills that will serve me well in my future endeavours.”
These success stories are only possible because of the PMP’s key features. Ranked #6 best graduate degree in industrial engineering in the US, this programme equips students with the technical expertise you would acquire in a traditional master’s degree and the soft skills needed in advanced engineering such as industry problem-solving, team leadership, project management, innovation in technology, client engagement, and executive presentation. Fusing academic rigour and real-world know-how is an effective pathway to more senior roles – with the PMP, this can be done in nine or up to 21 months.
Within this period, those aspiring to become future corporate leaders will benefit from weekly meetings with those actually doing it. “Weekly visits to Eaton’s South Milwaukee, Wisconsin facility and trips to the Thermo Fisher site in Asheville, North Carolina allowed me to gain first-hand experience and build strong professional relationships through these projects,” Mudaliar says.
Recent graduates have gone on to work in managerial positions in top engineering companies. Source: Purdue University
These meetings serve as important examples when PMP students lead their own teams of three. Working directly with industry sponsors every week, they set goals, prioritise tasks, unite participants, manage conflicts, communicate with clients, solve problems, complete minutes and execute projects.
“Engaging in real-world projects in actual existing companies is the part that makes the programme special,” student YuChien Yu says. “My work impacts the industry by setting up a standard operation time for one process in both facilities and simulation. Since I was setting a cycle time for one process, if the process takes too long, the entire facility will be idle, causing a huge bottleneck. If the time is too short, the operator cannot keep up with that operation time. Therefore, finding a balance between them is crucial work.”
Collaboration is a big part of engineering – hence why the PMP recruits students from many countries and includes many ways for them to engage with each other. Teamwork is encouraged as it will be helpful in a professional setting as you work with colleagues with different cultural perspectives to devise an impactful solution.
This being Purdue, recent graduates have gone on to work in various global Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Tesla, Amazon Robotics, Intel, Siemens, American Airlines, Micron Technology, Eli Lilly, Salesforce, Applied Materials, and Eaton Corporation.
Yu landed a role with Amazon Robotics, hitting the ground running from day one. “I don’t think much transition will be needed since PMP trained us like a full-time employee,” he says. “I don’t feel there is a big difference between PMP projects and full-time job work.
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