Have you ever considered starting your own business? Join father and son podcasters Rich and Garrett Ham at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, for the new podcast series, Learn It. Use It., to hear discussions about the latest trends, topics and challenges in the operations management and engineering management fields.

In this month's Episode 2, "Entrepreneurship for Operations Managers," the two operations management faculty members discuss the high-level and idealistic thinking that often precedes the launch of a new entrepreneurial endeavor and address the day-to-day minutiae of running a startup. Going beyond the abstract principles that undergird most business school curriculum, both will discuss how the "10 Critical Decisions of Operations Management" play an essential role in daily decision-making and drive the successful implementation of a company's strategic vision. Register here: Entrepreneurship for Operations Managers.

Rich Ham is associate director of the College of Engineering's operations management master's program, while Garrett Ham is an instructor in program and owner of Weekender Management, a vacation rental property management company.

The Department of Industrial Engineering in the College of Engineering houses two professional graduate degree programs: the Master of Science in Operations Management and the Master of Science in Engineering Management, as well as six graduate certificates and six microcertificates. The Master of Science in Operations Management program began in 1974 and is designed for professionals from a broad range of backgrounds, including business and government operations. Students learn how to create value to the production of goods and services while working with worldwide suppliers and customers. The program supports graduate certificates in project management, lean six sigma and homeland security to broaden student understanding of current skills needed by operations managers.

The Master of Science in Engineering Management program (2017) prepares engineers to lead and manage teams, projects and organizations with technical workforces to meet strategic objectives.

Both programs have a comprehensive exam that is a core component for assessing student learning outcomes.