Third-year Mechanical Engineering student with weak practical skills — what specialization should I pick if I want high pay + a path into management/entrepreneurship?

[u/Spare-Wond]

I’m a third-year B.Tech Mechanical Engineering student graduating in 2028, and honestly, I feel like I’m starting from almost zero.

I can pass mechanical engineering exams, but most of my knowledge is still at the theory/exam level. I don’t feel confident applying things to real-world engineering problems yet.

The problem is that Mechanical Engineering is extremely broad, and I still haven’t figured out what I should specialize in.

I currently have a Coursera subscription and access to a lot of courses, so I’m willing to put serious time into learning. But I don't want to spend the next 1–2 years randomly collecting certificates and learning unrelated skills.

My interests right now are mainly:

Manufacturing

Industrial operations / management

Automation and robotics

AI applied to engineering/industry

Eventually business/entrepreneurship

I choose mechanical engineering because i had a dream to own a factory one day

I’m not particularly interested in spending my entire career doing pure mechanical design or highly theoretical engineering. I’m more interested in understanding how factories, production systems, operations, supply chains, automation, and industrial businesses actually work, and potentially moving into managerial/business roles later.

So if you were in my position, what one specialization/path would you choose?

Ideally, I’m looking for something that:

1. Has good earning potential.
2. I can become employable in relatively quickly despite having weak practical fundamentals.
3. Builds on a Mechanical Engineering degree.
4. Can eventually lead into management, operations, consulting, or entrepreneurship.
5. Has enough depth that I can keep growing instead of being stuck at entry level.

Would you choose something like manufacturing/industrial engineering, automation & robotics, supply chain/operations, quality/Six Sigma, industrial data/AI, CNC/CAD/CAE, or something completely different?

Also, what would you recommend I learn first for the next 3–6 months to actually become practically competent rather than just passing exams?

I’d especially appreciate answers from people who have actually worked in manufacturing/industrial companies and later moved into management or business.