Industrial engineering (IE) involves the design and improvement of integrated systems, such as materials, equipment, or human resources to maximize production of goods and services. In 2011, the Career Cornerstone Center (CCC) found that industrial engineering ranked third among the 17 different engineering fields in jobs filled. That same year, the U.S. Department of Labor projected that over the next 10 years, the field would grow by 14%. The industry's positive trend, paired with a national need for filling engineering positions, prompted the Navajo Technical University (NTU) to develop its IE program, followed one year later by the creation of a computer and electronics program that would transition into a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. According to a 2011 National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) survey, of the 23,630,000 individuals employed as scientists or engineers in the United States, 98,000 were American Indians or Alaska Natives. Of the 98,000 Native scientists employed, only 7,000 were engineers, making up 0.03% of all scientists and engineers in the United States. The shortcoming of representation across all minority groups prompted the U.S. government to refocus its efforts on inclusion and to initiate programs and release funds to improve access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers through agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF). NTU has also invested resources to create a new manufacturing economy that could employ students in high-skill, high-wage positions in the Navajo Nation in the near future. In 2018, NTU went into partnership with the Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development to create an emerging industry involving advanced manufacturing, materials testing, and metrology. This collaboration includes the construction of a multimillion-dollar facility known as the Center for Advanced Manufacturing, which will house the university's recently purchased 3D metal printer and other instruments and equipment that will be used to contract work with corporations like Boeing.