Industrial Engineering and Management

Hello! My name is Raquel Aycart. I am 19 years old and I am from Seville, Spain.

At school, my academic interests lay in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, but I also had ambition in management and business. In my search for career prospects, I was very discouraged when I only found jobs in one of the three areas. Then, a website showed me a degree called ‘IEM’, which covered a combination of all my interests. There was one university that I liked more than all the others because it is one of the world’s leading universities, because of its position in the rankings, and most importantly, because of how the students spoke about it.

In addition to all this, this university is located in a city full of international students, with an unbeatable atmosphere and a vibrant community. I never imagined that I would end up studying in a city in the Netherlands, but today, I can say with certainty that it is one of the best—if not the best—decisions I have made in my life.

What I like most about my degree programme is how dynamic it is. It is suitable for a wide range of careers since we learn a little bit about everything. This programme does not pigeonhole you for life in a specific profession but is very broad, unlike most other programmes.

Besides that, the community we have could not be better. Everyone is willing to help out at all times. When I'm not studying, I like to party with my friends. And in this city, there is never a lack of parties!

For prospective students who are still hesitant about the city or the degree programme: I would advise you to be brave and give it a chance, because it will surely be the best decision you are going to take and you have very little to lose.

The reason I chose Industrial Engineering and Management is that I was looking for a programme that had a very broad education and was satisfying all of my interests. I had a very hard time deciding what I wanted to study. I went from fashion to teaching, to the military, and to something with sustainability. Then the bachelor Industrial Engineering and Management was introduced to me. This study had endless possibilities for me, to go whatever way I wanted.

I could still work in all of the fields I was interested in and it was broad enough to keep being interesting for me. At first, I did think it would be more of the management side than it eventually turned out to be. It is a lot of math, physics, and chemistry, but all are applied in ways that are used in the industry. This makes it more accessible to understand for me, which makes this the perfect study for me. It is hard but fun and doable as long as you put enough effort into it.

In my second year, I chose the track Sustainable Process Engineering to focus more on sustainability and process improvements within the industry. Right now I am a third-year SPE student while doing a board year at the Study Association TBV Lugus. This is the study association for IEM. After my board year,I will do a minor in Education and finish my final courses before starting my bachelor’s thesis.

This study gave me the opportunity to figure out what I want to do later in my life and which way I want to go. It was broad enough for me to give me all aspects of the fields I am interested in and narrow down what I want to work in. After my bachelor’s I am looking into a master’s that focuses a bit more on sustainability and management within companies, that also looks at the social aspect of the environment and population.

I decided to study IEM because I was unsure which engineering pathway I wanted to take. This was mostly due to my additional interest in business-oriented subjects. IEM seemed like the perfect combination of both fields, and so far, it has exceeded my expectations.

In the first year, I really enjoyed an assignment which was based on a real-life case: a budget airline company needed to be managed to prevent it from bankruptcy.

Originally, I’m from Punto Fijo, in Venezuela. I really enjoy living in Groningen, although the weather sometimes makes me think otherwise. The city has an overall amazing vibe and I have friends from many different countries and continue to meet new and exciting people every week.

My name is Rudi van Driezum. I am a big fan of American football and I play in the Groningen Giants team. I am 22 years old, born and raised in Groningen, the most beautiful city of the Netherlands. Here I live in a student house together with four other guys.

I started studying IEM because this degree programme is very technical and has many technical aspects: from fluid dynamics to mechanics. It is nice to learn how you can connect these aspects to the business branch of a company. Learning to work with a solution-oriented attitude is something I find the most interesting at the moment. With every problem you face, you have to consider whether the current solution is efficient enough, or whether there is a different, more optimal one.

I have always been very active within my study association, TBV Lugus. It is a great association with a lot of active members. Lugus organizes various fun activities: for example, skiing trips and drinks events, as well as educational activities aimed at self-development.

During my third year I really wanted to progress my self-development further, and doing a board year at Lugus seemed logical. Right now, as the Treasurer, I am responsible for drawing up the budget under the supervision of our strict Audit Committee. I also take care of all the association’s expenses, and all committees keep in contact with me regarding their spendings and budgets. Furthermore, I help with organizing events and carry joint responsibility for the association.

I would advise all new students to become Lugus members. As a member, you can always get free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate at the members corner, and you can participate in all of our activities. You can also have a great time with other members and make friends for life!

After my graduation I started as a consultant at the Strategy & Operations practice of Deloitte Consulting. I focus on large scale transformations like designing and implementing new operating models, large scale cost reductions and mergers and acquisitions.

Currently I’m working on a M&A project where I work in the team that designs the global to-be organization structure of two merging international clients in Consumer Business. My role typically includes facilitating client sessions, doing data analysis and making client documentation.

During my years in Groningen I became a broad allround engineer with a strong analytical background. The combination of analytical and numerical skills and knowledge of business administration is crucial for a good consultant in my opinion. IEM Groningen offered me the perfect balance between basic business administration and technical detail.

The study also allowed me to learn about my own strengths and interests. I think it’s important to do the things that you are passionate about and IEM will provide you with the right toolset to pursue any type of career after your graduation