Breaking Into The Engineering Industry

Breaking into the Engineering Industry

Why would I want to work in engineering? Engineering affects virtually every aspect of our lives. From the vehicles that take us to work, to the buildings in which we make our living and the satellites that enable you to read this on the internet. All of these things are the work of engineers. The key areas that engineers work in are civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical and manufacturing and the area in which you work will largely be determined by the area of engineering that you have studied for. The areas are generally pretty separate, so picking the area that is right for you is the first step to a long and successful career. In the UK the industry is vast, with more than 6,000 organisations employing around 800,000 engineers. Career opportunities exist across a broad spectrum of sectors, from aerospace and defence to renewable energy and transportation and many of these sectors are anticipated to be particularly buoyant for the foreseeable future. Take the oil and gas sector, for instance. High oil prices have enabled the UK oil industry to tap into previously uneconomic oil deposits off the British coast which in turn has created huge demand for qualified engineers across a range of disciplines.

www.monster.co.uk Similarly, renewable energy is an emerging sector. With global warming and climate change at the top of the political agenda, demand is high for engineers to develop low carbon technologies and assist with the expansion of nuclear, wave, wind and biomass power. Elsewhere, the UK’s aerospace sector is one of the largest in the world where demand for a number of key projects has ensured continued requirement for a number of engineers. Similarly, the outlook is good in construction, with towns and cities across the UK undergoing almost constant regeneration. The benefits of working in the industry are an obvious attraction: Firstly, the average salary for newly qualified engineers is well above most other sectors, and if you follow the right career path, you will soon be earning in excess of £50,000 a year. Chartered and Incorporated Engineers and Engineering Technicians are highly regarded and command higher earning potential. Opportunities for engineers exist throughout the UK with many specialist hubs emerging. The chemical manufacturing sector is largely centred in the North West, whilst the high-tech sector is concentrated around Oxford, Cambridge and London. And with many multi-national organisations operating in the engineering field, there may also be opportunities to work on projects overseas.

How much can you earn in the engineering sector? Salary by Gender

Salary by Company Size

Salary by Experience

Salary by Location

Salary by Job Role

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

What are the common engineering career paths? Entry into the profession is entirely dependent upon your level of qualifications with two different avenues; graduate or non-graduate. Engineering graduates will typically start their careers in technical functions learning about different areas of the business in a design and manufacturing capacity, before moving into a senior engineer role. This may see you managing a project for a client and contributing to the design, development, implementation and maintenance phases of the task. The next step up would be into a Technical Manager, Principal Engineer or Programme Manager position. Most senior positions require chartered status and from here your career could reach the level of Engineering Director, Chief Engineer or Programme Director. Non-graduates usually enter the field in an Operator (for GCSE level education), Craftsperson (Diploma level) or Engineering Technician (HNC, Higher Diploma or Higher NVQ level) role. Operators make up around one-third of the engineering industry’s labour force so there is nothing to stop those with limited education breaking into and progressing in the industry as practical experience is just as valuable as theory.

Further Reading - How can I choose the right company? - What are my transferrable skills? - Should I work part-time, temporary or permanent?

www.monster.co.uk Operators and Craft workers specialise in a specific practical skill, such as welding or tool-making, whilst Engineering Technicians utilise their creative and practical skills - often with responsibility for operational engineering and other staff. From here, there are a number of middle management avenues available. Technicians then choose whether to move sideways into a Project Leader or Team Leader role and then onto Project Management. Or they may advance their career as an Incorporated Engineer before becoming a fully qualified Engineer and following the career path described above for graduates. Employment opportunities can be found in a wide range of organisations who will recruit people from a variety of engineering disciplines. This could be from multi-national corporations such as BP or BAE Systems to smaller local organisations. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to you to decide which environment is right for you. Employment contracts are predominantly permanent, however, you will also find many working as sub-contractors, working on a projectby-project basis. This is generally a more lucrative route to go down, but there can be a lower level of job security and the potential for work to dry up.

Job Searches CAD Electrical Engineering Energy Engineering Mechanical Engineering Vehicle Repair & Maintenance

Civil Engineering Electrician Industrial Engineering Surveying & Inspection

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

Where can I find out about engineering employers? Finding out about different employers is one of the most important parts of job hunting. Only then can you decide where you feel your areas of expertise are best suited and identify the type of organisation you want to work for. And your contacts can be your most valuable asset. If you have recently graduated with an engineering degree you already have an advantage. Your course tutors will probably have experience in the field, so take advantage of their expertise. Most importantly don’t forget the companies where you completed a placement as part of your degree. Both of these sources can offer advice, identify your core skills and expose you to other people who can get you closer to possible employment. If you don’t have an engineering related degree, you may need to be more imaginative in your approach. Do you have friends or family who work in engineering or do they know anyone who does? What contacts do your former colleagues, former customers or suppliers have? Networking is the key to any successful job search, and this is especially true in engineering where companies are reliant on each other, and are therefore in regular communication.

Follow us on Twitter Stay up to date with the latest news from the Engineering sector by following @EngineeringUK on Twitter.

www.monster.co.uk When you finally make contact, ask about how they started; the skills they needed; what have been their experiences to date; what organisations are expanding and looking to recruit and what advice they can give someone like you who is coming into the industry for the first time. Research the type of companies that you would like to work for, who have a culture you want to work in, and will enable you to realise your career ambitions. Most of this information can be found on the internet or in public libraries. Recruitment fairs and industry conferences also offer a unique opportunity to meet a number of people who can give you an insight into your chosen career and what it is like to work in their company. They can be vey useful contacts to help open a few doors, so use them to your advantage. The engineering industry also has a number of trade magazines and dedicated websites that can give you an invaluable insight into the latest trends, developments and challenges affecting various sectors. Not to mention key information on the leading organisations in the industry.

Key Industry Associations -

Institute of Engineering and Technology Engineering Council UK SEMTA Institute of Civil Engineers Energy Institute Institution of Chemical Engineers Institution of Mechanical Engineers Engineering Construction industry Association

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

What qualifications are important in engineering? How far you want your career to progress will determine what qualifications you will need and the timeframe it will take for you to reach your goal. For instance, if you have a couple of GCSE’s, but you see yourself as a Chief Engineer someday, you need to be prepared to learn new skills and improve your qualifications. Even if you have a degree, however, you will need to be prepared to study further in order to have a successful career in engineering. If you take the non-graduate route into engineering, the lowest entry point with a minimum of 5 GCSEs is on an apprenticeship scheme where you will work as an Operator and be expected to study towards an engineering diploma as part of your Apprenticeship. A-Level holders can enrol on a higher apprenticeship which will qualify you to undertake a Higher National Diploma (HND) or Foundation Degree – both of which enable you to work around your existing commitments - before progressing into an Incorporated Engineer role. The graduate route which will see you recognised as a member of one of the three main professional institutions; Institution of Civil Engineers, Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), or Institute of Electrical Engineers (ICE).

www.monster.co.uk Professional qualifications are important in the industry and will increase your earning potential, improve your career prospects and will raise your professional credibility. The Engineering Council recognises three main categories of employment, all of which have their own professional qualifications: Chartered Engineers (CEng), Incorporated Engineers (IEng) and Engineering Technicians (EngTech). To become and engineering technician you need a National Certificate / Diploma or equivalent qualification, combined with initial professional development (IPD), which can be achieved though an Advanced Apprenticeship. Incorporated engineers require an engineering related degree or for those without a degree, alternative routes can include a HND or Foundation Degree followed by structured professional training. Regardless of sector, the most sought after positions are generally accredited to chartered status. To become a Chartered Engineer, graduates study a four-year MEng degree accredited by one of the major engineering institutes, such as ICE. If you are unsure what avenue is right for you, seek out potential work experience opportunities. Approach employers directly and volunteer for an unpaid work placement. This will give you an insight into the industry and if you prove your value to the organisation, you could end up with a job offer.

Find engineering Courses - UCAS - The Open University - Home Learning College

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

What skills are engineering employers looking for? With around 1 in 10 university graduates embarking upon a career in engineering each year, it's important that you are aware of the necessary skills and qualities that engineering employers are looking for to give yourself a competitive advantage over the other candidates. One of the beauties of working in this industry is that there are a wide range of jobs available to suit all types of personalities and levels of expertise. Some positions demand a high level of academic achievement, some relying more on technical expertise. Incorporated engineers and engineering technicians need to have a high level of attention to detail, reasoning ability, the skills and knowhow to make things happen and strength of character to manage others. On the other hand craft workers and operators will need basic mathematical ability, resilience, patience and of course, manual skills.

Further Reading - What are my transferrable skills?

www.monster.co.uk Regardless of the role in which you will be working, there are a common set of intangible skills that employers look for across all engineering disciplines: •

Effective communication skills - with an increase in the documentation and instructions that engineers use in the workplace, clear and concise communication is a requirement.

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Interpersonal skills - you need to know how to effectively work as part of a team and work with customers to identify needs and provide solutions.

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Technical knowledge - whatever technical expertise is vital to your job, you need to understand how to apply this to solving practical problems.

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Organisational skills - being able to prioritise tasks, manage your time effectively and resource planning are key skills for engineers.

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Enthusiasm and commitment - learning new skills is part of every engineer's role, so you need to be adept at assimilating a lot of new information.

More importantly, employers are looking for evidence that you are well rounded, take an active interest in and have an understanding of the engineering industry. Furthermore, that you have the motivation, drive and ambition to make an impact within their company.

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

What makes a good engineering CV? Getting a job is like an exercise in marketing. You need to need to identify what your target market (employer) is looking for in a product (you) and use your CV to promote yourself as the candidate who offers exactly what they need. Think of your CV as your sales brochure - it has to be specific to the job you are applying for. The clue to what an employer is looking for can be found in the job advert. Look through the responsibilities that the job will entail, and work out how you can demonstrate that you have done these, or could do these. To gain a better understanding of what attributes the role demands; get a copy of the full job spec from the HR department or recruitment consultant. Equipped with this information, tailor your CV to include evidence of the skills and achievements that you know they are looking for. Make sure that your personal career ambitions are in sync with the employer’s requirements.

Further Reading - How can I tailor my CV to an audience? - What are my unique selling points? - What are the classic CV mistakes to avoid?

www.monster.co.uk Focus on your achievements rather than your responsibilities. For example, simply stating that… "I worked on a project that designed a new engine for a Formula One racing team during my work placement." ...tells your reader about what you did, but doesn’t set you apart from thousands of other people who may be applying for the same job. By rephrasing this as… "During my work placement, I designed and installed a new engine component for a Formula One engine which resulted in the team shaving off 2.5 seconds per lap and improved their overall standing in the season.” …you will be demonstrating an ability to work as part of a team, that you had a positive impact, and that you can make a difference for an organisation. You want to make your achievements quantifiable, so your potential employer can see the impact you will have on their business. Achievement statements like these illustrate your skills and ability to perform the role without simply copying them from the job advert. Make sure that you consider who may be reading your CV. Avoid using technical jargon that only fellow engineers will understand, as your CV could be read by a HR assistant or recruitment consultant who is not familiar with engineering terminology.

Free CV Templates Building Surveyor Electrical Engineer Mechanical Engineer

CAD Technician Maintenance Manager

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

What does the job interview process consist of? Your CV has sufficiently impressed an employer to invite you to an interview. Now you are just a couple of steps away from securing the job that you want. But first you need to make a good impression at the interview. Some recruiters prefer to follow the traditional one-to-one two-stage format which is normally conducted by the departmental head, line manager or someone from HR, whereas others will put you through your paces to test your ability to do what you claim you can do on your CV. In this case you may face a panel of interviewers or be expected to undertake a series of assessments. Employers will also be looking for reasons why you are choosing a career in engineering and check your understanding of your chosen sector. Maybe you are concerned with environmental issues and want to work in the renewable energy field on projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Be prepared for the typical ‘strengths and weaknesses’ questions and questions designed to test your knowledge of your sector. Equally, be up-to-date with what’s happening with the company itself by looking at their website or Googling them. This will give you an insight to how they work, what newsworthy work they are involved in, and clues to questions you can ask your interviewer.

Take part in a Virtual Job Interview to find out if your answers are what engineering employers want to hear. Click here when you’re ready to begin.

www.monster.co.uk Also consider your short and long-term goals. Why are you applying for this job? Where do you want to be in five years – Senior Engineer? Chartered Engineer? And why do you feel that you have the potential to achieve these ambitions? In other words, show that you are aware of your potential and give them an insight into what they will get if they hire you. Interviews will invariably take place at the location where the position is based. Or if the selection process involves all candidates coming together to take part in a series of tests and activities, then you may be expected to attend and off-site assessment centre. Because technical ability is key to many engineering roles, tests are often used to sort out the good candidates from the bad ones. Try and find out before your interview what will be involved in the interview, and revise as if it were an exam so you don't get caught out unexpectedly. Interviews are a two-way process: they are designed to help employers find the right employee for their business, as well as for you to decide if the organisation is right for you in terms of what you want to do and where you want to take your career.

Further Reading - How do I make a good first impression? - What should I wear to my job interview? - How can I calm my job interview nerves?

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

What career goals should I set myself? We have already demonstrated that the engineering industry has a clearly defined career path for those with ambitions to progress. And because demand for suitably qualified and skilled labour within the industry is high, the opportunities for professional development, advancement and variation are readily available across a wide range of engineering disciplines. All you have to do is decide which sector you want to work in and think about how you would like your new role to progress. The Engineering Council describes engineering as ‘the application of science and maths to the solving of practical problems and the making of useful things’. Engineers will continue to be at the forefront of change and development across every sector of society and by default, opportunities for both inexperienced and experienced professionals will continue to prevail. When you start your career, you need to consider your own personal ambitions and where you see yourself in both the short and long term. If you are looking to progress through the ranks you need to be aware of what steps you need to take and the timeframe required before you can take the next step up the ladder.

www.monster.co.uk For instance, the career progression from Senior Operator to Team Leader will take considerably less time to achieve than it will for a newly qualified engineering graduate who is determined to become a chartered engineer – about two and four years respectively. The area of engineering that you have studied during your undergraduate degree will largely determine the sector in which you work. And because the specific skills required in one sector may vary from those needed in another sector, you may find it difficult to transfer your skills from nuclear to civil engineering. However, if you feel that the profession isn’t quite what you anticipated in terms of variety, challenge or working conditions don’t fret. A number of engineers have created successful alternative careers in a number of varying roles, such as specialist sales, marketing, teaching and consultancy.

What Next? If you’re still looking for advice on finding the right job, creating a great CV or tips on job interview, career-advice.monster.co.uk contains everything you ever wanted to know, and more! If you’re ready to apply for jobs, upload you CV to Monster and then take a look through the latest Engineering roles.

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

Engineering Glossary Agile Manufacturing - an organisation that has created the processes and tools to enable it to respond quickly to market changes, while still controlling costs and quality. Blueprint - a paper-based reproduction usually of a technical drawing, documenting an architectural or engineering design. CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) - a unit of measurement of the flow of a gas or liquid that indicates how much volume in cubic feet pass by a stationary point in one minute. Drywall - a common building material typically made of a layer of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper, then kiln dried. Echo Box - a resonant cavity device that is used to check the overall performance of a radar system. Flash Point - the lowest temperature at which a liquid releases sufficient vapour that can be ignited by an energy source Greenhand – a nickname given to someone who is new to the offshore oil industry

www.monster.co.uk HVAC – a common acronym from the engineering industry that stands for ‘Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning’. ISC (Integrated Service Contract) - a contract likely to include design and project services, maintenance, upgrades as well as reliability and integrity management. JV (Joint Venture) - collaboration between two or more companies in a contract. Kelvin - a unit increment of temperature and one of the seven SI base units. Laser - a device that emits light (electromagnetic radiation) through a process called stimulated emission. The term is an acronym for ‘Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation’. Multiplexer - a switching device that sequentially connects multiple inputs or outputs in order to process several signal channels with a single A/D or D/A converter NPV (Net Present Value) - a method of evaluating a stream of costs and benefits over time assuming a nominated rate of interest applying to the value of money.

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry OEE – (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) - a hierarchy of metrics which focus on how effectively a manufacturing operation is utilised. Penalty Clause - a provision in a contract that provides for a reduction in the amount otherwise payable to a contractor as a penalty for failure to meet deadlines or contract specifications. QRA (Quantitative Risk Assessment) - a method for quantifying major accident hazards and their potential effects. Rafter - one of a series of sloped structural members designed to support a roof deck and its associated loads. SAT (Site Acceptance Test) - a test of equipment carried out at site following installation of equipment but prior to commissioning. Transducer – a device that receives information in the form of one quantity and converts it to information in the same or another quantity or form. Union - an organisation of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas and working conditions.

www.monster.co.uk Voltage - the rate at which energy is drawn from a source that produces a flow of electricity in a circuit; expressed in volts. Watt - the SI derived unit of power, equal to one joule of energy per second. Xmas Tree – the collective name given to the valve pipes and associated fittings assembled at the top of a completed well used to control the flow of oil or gas. Yield Point – the load at which a solid material that is being stretched begins to flow, or change shape permanently, divided by its original cross-sectional area; or the amount of stress in a solid at the onset of permanent deformation. Zero Defects - a standard of performance in manufacturing which should be the goal of endeavour when speaking of 'quality'. Think you know engineering? When going for a job interview it really pays to know about the issues affecting the industry the company operates in. We’ve devised a short quiz to help you judge how much you know about the engineering sector. Take the quiz now!

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Breaking into the Engineering Industry

They say that the grass isn’t greener on the other side, but often it is. Our series of eBooks brings together expert advice to help you secure the job you want and build a successful career. For more career tools, visit career-advice.monster.co.uk.