Marquette University has received $1 million from Milwaukee-based Rexnord Corp. to develop a four-week program that will teach business fundamentals to college graduates with engineering degrees.
The program, called Bridge to Business for Engineers, will begin accepting applications this fall and will start teaching its first group of around 20 students in spring 2017.
“What we’ve heard from businesses that employ engineering majors is that these graduates are very competent engineers, but they don’t have enough appreciation for the business side,” said Brian Till, dean of business administration.
The program will teach basics in finance, marketing, supply chain management and information technology so that engineers can better understand how businesses function, and the role they would play within a company.
“We see great value in an engineering program that provides a solid technical background supplemented with broader business knowledge,” said Todd Adams, president and CEO of Rexnord. “This skill set will set graduates apart in the workplace.”
Rexnord is a multi-platform industrial company that engineers and manufactures power transmission, aerospace, plumbing and valve components.
“As engineers advance in their careers, their leadership of major projects and new ventures is greatly influenced by their business acumen and their ability to see how innovation and technology development fit into the bigger picture,” said Kris Ropella, dean of Marquette’s engineering school.
