Mansell Recruitment Group Ltd Mansell House Priestley Way, Crawley West Sussex, RH10 9RU United Kingdom
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Mansell Recruitment Group Ltd Mansell House Priestley Way, Crawley West Sussex, RH10 9RU United Kingdom
10 Must Know Tips For Securing Engineering Jobs: Our Guide
Whatever industry you choose to work in, the process of landing your dream job can be a long journey. Whether you need to complete a specific academic qualification or acquire a wide array of experience, sometimes the necessary steps take time. As such, it is important to research your chosen career path thoroughly in order to understand what is required of you.
When it comes to engineering, there are an array of specialist skills and qualifications you will need to acquire in order to succeed. This sector is incredibly varied, where the range of job options on offer is ever expanding as new technologies are developed. It is therefore vital that you stay up to date with the latest industry changes if this is to be your chosen career.
Read on to find out more about how to secure a leading engineering job, where we’ve compiled our ten best tips to get you where you want to go.
The engineering sector covers a broad range of jobs and career paths. In general terms, an engineer is someone who builds, tests and designs various structures and systems. As such, engineers can work in tandem with large manufacturers, as well as construction teams and architects.
Depending on their specialism, an engineer may be working on the safe construction of bridges, roads and buildings, where their work can also include the design and testing of computers, space equipment and food products. Most engineering roles are centred around problem solving, where they involve a practical application of maths and science to real world situations.
Broadly speaking, there are four key branches of engineering, but there are also many additional specialisms that can be pursued within and beyond these categories. The four core branches include:
Mechanical Engineering - This refers to the design, construction and maintenance of machinery, where this role is essential for the success of numerous industries. A mechanical engineer may work with railways, aerospace technology or biomedical development.
Electrical Engineering - These engineers handle electrical systems and equipment, where their role may include design, testing or maintenance. An electrical engineer may work with the distribution of power and electricity, whilst the related discipline of electronic engineering involves smaller electronic circuits and computer technology.
Civil Engineering - This branch of engineering focuses on construction, which involves the design, building and maintenance of various forms of infrastructure. As such civil engineers may work on roads, bridges, commercial buildings or sewage systems.
Chemical Engineering - These engineers are responsible for taking raw materials and developing them into useful products. Also known as process engineers, this work can involve the development of cosmetics, cleaning products and textiles.
When it comes to pursuing a career in engineering, there are some essential steps you can follow to enrich and support your job search. These steps are discussed below:
Before you embark on any career journey, it is important to obtain a good understanding of the industry and the various challenges involved. Find out what qualifications and experience you need as soon as possible, so you can integrate these steps into your education path. Undertaking this kind of research is also important to assess which engineering sector is right for you, where different roles can vary widely in their demands.
Engineering in particular is a constantly evolving industry, so it is also important to remain up to date with the latest developments. New career opportunities open up in this sector every year, where staying abreast of these changes can help to support your university and work placement applications as you progress.
Engineering is a career path that tends to require a prescriptive array of qualifications. If you wish to complete an engineering degree course in the UK, then it is usually essential to complete a mathematics A Level qualification prior to this, where a science subject alongside this may also be mandatory. Other subject options such as further maths or computer science can help to support your application.
Following this, you may wish to complete a four year engineering degree course, where this can help you to access some of the best career options in the industry. Sometimes these courses include an integrated masters, where you can choose to specialise in a particular aspect of engineering at this stage.
It is also possible to become an engineer without a university degree, where you can complete an apprenticeship qualification instead. These typically last between two to four years, and can feed into a specific engineering profession. Some schemes will require you to have completed your A Level qualifications, whilst others are aimed at school leavers who have completed their GCSEs.
More specifically, a career in engineering requires a range of specialist technical skills, where these are usually acquired through advanced study and practical experience. Some key technical skills may include the operation of manufacturing, testing and lab equipment, where this knowledge can often only be acquired through practical work experience.
Engineering jobs also require you to possess strong IT skills, where many roles in this industry involve the use of 3D modelling software, as well as various testing programs and coding applications.
When working towards your dream engineering job, it is important to develop the kinds of transferable ‘soft’ skills that you may need to utilise throughout your career. These include strong communication skills, where an engineer will be required to interact with a team of staff when working on a complex project.
Good attention to detail is another essential skill for this career path, where engineering roles often involve design and testing work where small details play an important role. Creativity is also vital for lots of engineering career paths, where these jobs tend to involve problem solving and the ability to come up with imaginative solutions.
Being a successful engineer means developing a range of essential technical skills, where this is generally achieved through experience. It may be difficult to gain experience in these roles before you’ve obtained the right qualifications and training, so it can be helpful to choose a university or apprenticeship course that includes a work placement. Applying to graduate schemes and other training programmes can also help you to gain entry into the engineering world at an early stage in your career.
Once you’ve obtained your first role in the engineering sector, it is important to keep developing your skill set and specialisms. In the workplace, you can express interest in various training opportunities and development schemes, especially if there is an opportunity to gain experience in an area of engineering that you’re particularly interested in. Always keep track of the skills you’re developing and the responsibilities you’ve taken on so that you’re ready to discuss these if you do choose to apply to a more senior position.
It is advisable to stay flexible as you advance in your engineering career. This is an ever changing sector, where job opportunities today differ widely from what was on offer ten or twenty years ago. As such, it is important to remain open minded as you progress, where you should take on exciting opportunities and challenges as they arise.
You may be able to benefit from securing a mentor in the engineering industry as you advance in your career. Forming a relationship with an engineering professional who is already working in your preferred field can allow you to gain vital advice and recommendations on how to proceed. Having a contact at a leading engineering company can also help when it comes to applying for a job or preparing for interviews.
When it comes to advancing in your engineering career, it is important to have an eye on your long term success. Researching various training and development opportunities can help you to understand where your career is headed, where this kind of knowledge can be invaluable when it comes to deciding whether to remain in your current role or to pursue new opportunities.
Sometimes it can be helpful to work with a specialist recruiter in order to find the right job for you. Whether you’re looking for graduate opportunities or the next step in your career, a specialist engineering recruiter will be able to put you in touch with leading employers who are looking for candidates with your skillset. This is a direct and efficient way of seeking a new opportunity, where you will be able to target your search in order to find your preferred role.
Our team is currently recruiting engineers for a wide range of roles, where we work with leading employers who are on the lookout for top quality candidates. Our technical recruitment agency specialises in hiring engineers who possess particularly desirable skills, so you can find the role that works best for you.
Find out more by calling 01293 404050, or browse our current engineering vacancies today.
Mansell Recruitment Group Ltd Mansell House Priestley Way, Crawley West Sussex, RH10 9RU United Kingdom
recruitment@mansell.co.uk
T: 01293 404050
