Management Qualification for Engineers

Engineers receive excellent technical training during their studies at universities and colleges and start out as specialists in their respective fields - for example, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or aerospace engineering.

At a certain point, the next career step is on the horizon and poses a problem for many engineers: they lack the necessary management skills and soft skills to be promoted to a management position in a company. As a headhunting agency and HR consultancy, we have been noticing for years that companies are demanding further training or additional qualifications. But what options do engineers have?

Specialised Management Studies for Engineers

Engineers have the opportunity to further their education within the framework of a Master's programme and thus qualify for management positions. There are corresponding degree programmes in various disciplines, such as a Master's in industrial engineering or technology management. In addition to technical subjects, these programmes also include business administration and social subjects and deal with topics such as finance and controlling or law.

Master of Business Administration

If an engineer has already completed a Master's degree in a subject-specific engineering programme or no longer necessarily wants to study full-time, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a possibility.

These are explicitly designed for engineers and scientists and are usually offered as part-time attendance or distance learning programmes.

Specialised and General MBA

MBA can be divided into two groups: There are specialised MBA, for example in construction management or sales engineering. On the other hand, various universities offer general Master's programmes designed to train engineers for management positions. Here, the focus is on economic topics and the development of business and management skills, whereby the subjects are explicitly designed for non-economists.

Most MBA are fee-based. If the programme is offered as a part-time attendance programme, regular block seminars take place at weekends. In the case of distance learning, there are usually only a few face-to-face events.

Further Education and Training

In addition to the option of studying, engineers also have the possibility of continuing their education with courses and seminars. On the one hand, there are courses to specialise in a particular field, such as CAD courses. On the other hand, there are various further training options for the area of management, for example at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) or at other further training providers throughout Germany and Europe.