Career in Engineering for Son ?
Discussion
Hi,
My son is 15yrs old and now at the time where he is starting to look at careers and like most people of his age does not really have any idea what direction he wants to go.
At a recent career evening Engineering was discussed as being the place to go as there was a shortage, i understand the phrase "engineering" can take many forms and i have little knowledge myself of this side of business.
Any advice on here from people already in Engineering would be appreciated and what area is likely to be in demand over the next 20-30 years,
Regards,
Martyn....
My son is 15yrs old and now at the time where he is starting to look at careers and like most people of his age does not really have any idea what direction he wants to go.
At a recent career evening Engineering was discussed as being the place to go as there was a shortage, i understand the phrase "engineering" can take many forms and i have little knowledge myself of this side of business.
Any advice on here from people already in Engineering would be appreciated and what area is likely to be in demand over the next 20-30 years,
Regards,
Martyn....
I cannot advise on this myself but caught an article on the radio the other night where a chap was talking about which jobs would be ending due to technology and those which would be growing. He was very clear that there is a shortage of scientists and geneticists so plumped for maths, biology, chemistry, physics and computer science as subjects at A level to have a broad range of skills in a core area.
Biosciences and nano-sciences were going to be the biggest growth apparently
Biosciences and nano-sciences were going to be the biggest growth apparently
There is no 'one size fits all' best option for where to go. Anyone who says there's a shortage of Engineers probably hasn't a clue what they're talking about, as while it's true in some sectors it's not in others, and Engineering is a seriously broad-sweeping term. I've done mechanical and marine engineering and it can be very rewarding, both financially and in terms of job satisfaction. It can also be boring as hell.
Power Gen, Oil and Gas and the ancillary industries surrounding it, civil etc. There's tons of demand for engineers, good money in it for good people, and bags of room to move up (or sideways).
Just be aware that there's also tons of competition and while you might be a brilliant engineer, there's brilliant engineers from other countries that'll work for much less in many industries.
If Engineering floats his boat, I'd just concentrate on picking a solid base of A-levels - Maths and physics are hard to beat. Chemistry can be very useful (and boring). Degrees are essential for most decent jobs these days with few exceptions. If he's not interested in Engineering, I wouldn't push him towards it too hard - it'll bore the crap out of him. Conversely, if it's something he's into it can be pretty rewarding. Again, if he's into it, I'd tell him to consider a Marine Engineering course. He'll come out after 3 years with an HND (can be upgraded to degree with a few months extra - it's easy) and a 4th Engineer job on a ship, tax free salary in the 25-30k range. It's a nice alternative to the regular university path and you can move sideways into other engineering paths relatively easily.
Ultimately, I'd say just do whatever he fancies as it's never too late to change direction, it's not like the bad old days where it took years to retrain. I'm 31, reasonably well educated and I've moved between a few careers and industries, and still haven't decided what I fancy being when I grow up. I've mates well into their 40s that have had total changes of direction. To me the notion of picking a career at 15-16 and doing it until retirement is bonkers.
I'd be wary of pushy engineering on him if he's not into it - it can be a maths-heavy bore to learn at times even if you like it. If you don't, you'll probably get sick of it and look elsewhere long before you get a Bachelors.
Power Gen, Oil and Gas and the ancillary industries surrounding it, civil etc. There's tons of demand for engineers, good money in it for good people, and bags of room to move up (or sideways).
Just be aware that there's also tons of competition and while you might be a brilliant engineer, there's brilliant engineers from other countries that'll work for much less in many industries.
If Engineering floats his boat, I'd just concentrate on picking a solid base of A-levels - Maths and physics are hard to beat. Chemistry can be very useful (and boring). Degrees are essential for most decent jobs these days with few exceptions. If he's not interested in Engineering, I wouldn't push him towards it too hard - it'll bore the crap out of him. Conversely, if it's something he's into it can be pretty rewarding. Again, if he's into it, I'd tell him to consider a Marine Engineering course. He'll come out after 3 years with an HND (can be upgraded to degree with a few months extra - it's easy) and a 4th Engineer job on a ship, tax free salary in the 25-30k range. It's a nice alternative to the regular university path and you can move sideways into other engineering paths relatively easily.
Ultimately, I'd say just do whatever he fancies as it's never too late to change direction, it's not like the bad old days where it took years to retrain. I'm 31, reasonably well educated and I've moved between a few careers and industries, and still haven't decided what I fancy being when I grow up. I've mates well into their 40s that have had total changes of direction. To me the notion of picking a career at 15-16 and doing it until retirement is bonkers.
I'd be wary of pushy engineering on him if he's not into it - it can be a maths-heavy bore to learn at times even if you like it. If you don't, you'll probably get sick of it and look elsewhere long before you get a Bachelors.
Martyn-123 said:
Hi,
My son is 15yrs old and now at the time where he is starting to look at careers and like most people of his age does not really have any idea what direction he wants to go.
At a recent career evening Engineering was discussed as being the place to go as there was a shortage, i understand the phrase "engineering" can take many forms and i have little knowledge myself of this side of business.
Any advice on here from people already in Engineering would be appreciated and what area is likely to be in demand over the next 20-30 years,
Regards,
Martyn....
I think the main thing for starters is what does he enjoy? (aside from computer games and/or sport).My son is 15yrs old and now at the time where he is starting to look at careers and like most people of his age does not really have any idea what direction he wants to go.
At a recent career evening Engineering was discussed as being the place to go as there was a shortage, i understand the phrase "engineering" can take many forms and i have little knowledge myself of this side of business.
Any advice on here from people already in Engineering would be appreciated and what area is likely to be in demand over the next 20-30 years,
Regards,
Martyn....
I work in Engineering (M&E Construction) and I ended up here as I had an affinity for it. As in I was always good at Design & Technology at school, grew up working on cars and building stuff with my dad, had a natural ability to understand how things work mechanically. I find because of this, I love the job and industry in the main.
You can become an engineer without the above, but it will probably end up being just a job.
As some people have already mentioned; Maths, English and a Science are the main A-Levels he should be looking at. They are the core subjects and allow you to apply to pretty much any course.
The science is your 'tailored' subject. If he wants to do engineering or something, Physics is your best choice. Biology if he is looking at a medical career and Chemistry for petro chem etc.
In regards to a 'shortage' of engineers; it varies. In my industry there isn't so much a shortage of engineers, rather a shortage of good engineers. There are quite a lot of old heads in construction and most seem to be replaced by guys who just tow the line and have no real ability to engineer solutions to problems. There are exceptions, but that is my general view.
It might be worth posting up some of his interested and stuff so people can put forward some careers that you may not have considered.
Electrical here, and I mean real power systems engineering and not a sparky (no offence to any electricians).
There is a massive shortage in our discipline mainly because it can be a little math reliant and seen as boring. But power companies are struggling big time for young apprentices or graduates meaning they are heavily relying on overseas hire.
Its widely known in the industry that in the next decade or so the situation will worsen considerably as all the final salary folks start to wander off for the last time.
As a result there are some real opportunities. Most of the network operators run good apprentice schemes with fast routes into engineering management or project management if that's his bag. In this industry practical experience is hugely respected.
For me its not boring at all. I spend a good deal of time in the countryside planning sites and connections and do hardly any maths anymore
I would echo a previous posters point. At 15 keep your options open and concentrate on some good GCSE results in maths, English,sciences and technology. I had no clue what I actually wanted to do at 15, I think it was a cartoonist!
There is a massive shortage in our discipline mainly because it can be a little math reliant and seen as boring. But power companies are struggling big time for young apprentices or graduates meaning they are heavily relying on overseas hire.
Its widely known in the industry that in the next decade or so the situation will worsen considerably as all the final salary folks start to wander off for the last time.
As a result there are some real opportunities. Most of the network operators run good apprentice schemes with fast routes into engineering management or project management if that's his bag. In this industry practical experience is hugely respected.
For me its not boring at all. I spend a good deal of time in the countryside planning sites and connections and do hardly any maths anymore
I would echo a previous posters point. At 15 keep your options open and concentrate on some good GCSE results in maths, English,sciences and technology. I had no clue what I actually wanted to do at 15, I think it was a cartoonist!
Edited by Fizpop on Monday 20th October 09:51
Hi Op,
I sure engineers from each discipline might come out with the same, but apparently Chemical Engineers have the highest average earnings......
I can tell you about my background and how I got to where I am.
I did Nuclear Engineering at undergraduate. Why? I really liked Physics but didn't want to do a pure physics degree, and lived within spitting distance of the largest nuclear site in the country. It's quite niche on the face of it but there's a lot of core engineering modules in there that are applicable to any branch of engineering. To broaden my technical knowledge I did a Masters in Chemical Engineering, and a couple of years ago finished a PhD. Really I don't know why, I wasn't overly academic at school (I'm still not now!!!) but my employer kept offering to pay for further education and I kept accepting...... I'm now an Engineering Manager and a chartered Chemical Engineer and Scientist. I haven't been in this role for that long, I actually miss doing the hands on work a lot at times, now I jut seem to bean count and plan work without getting to do the exciting hands on stuff..... I guess this is true in many industries once you move into management? I've been with the same employer since I left university. They're a good employer, at times I've fancied trying something new and working abroad but it's a safety net I've not wanted to cut the cord on as I'm worried the grass will never be greener.......
Anyhow, I'm part of recruiting in new youngsters into the organisation as well as being heavily involved locally in getting young kids interested into Science, Engineering, Technology and Math careers, which I'm very passionate about. There are many national schemes which aim to get kids interested in these careers but it does involve in the main the school being involved. Doing his A levels, Physics and Maths are recommended. The problem is kids don't really get exposed to the various branches of engineering until they're actually on their uni course. There's obviously chemistry involved in a Chemical Engineering degree but courses will differ from university to university and if it's a BSc or BEng (a lot do integrated MEng programmes these days with a view to the chartership path being more straightforward and offer an industrial placement). Maths put some people off and it is a requirement, however a lot of the first year at uni will be spent getting everyone up to a similar level.
Demand, we always have a need for good engineers and scientists and will continue to do so especially with new build reactors in the pipeline. We struggle to recruit at times due the relative isolation and population. Any specific question let me know or PM me.
I sure engineers from each discipline might come out with the same, but apparently Chemical Engineers have the highest average earnings......
I can tell you about my background and how I got to where I am.
I did Nuclear Engineering at undergraduate. Why? I really liked Physics but didn't want to do a pure physics degree, and lived within spitting distance of the largest nuclear site in the country. It's quite niche on the face of it but there's a lot of core engineering modules in there that are applicable to any branch of engineering. To broaden my technical knowledge I did a Masters in Chemical Engineering, and a couple of years ago finished a PhD. Really I don't know why, I wasn't overly academic at school (I'm still not now!!!) but my employer kept offering to pay for further education and I kept accepting...... I'm now an Engineering Manager and a chartered Chemical Engineer and Scientist. I haven't been in this role for that long, I actually miss doing the hands on work a lot at times, now I jut seem to bean count and plan work without getting to do the exciting hands on stuff..... I guess this is true in many industries once you move into management? I've been with the same employer since I left university. They're a good employer, at times I've fancied trying something new and working abroad but it's a safety net I've not wanted to cut the cord on as I'm worried the grass will never be greener.......
Anyhow, I'm part of recruiting in new youngsters into the organisation as well as being heavily involved locally in getting young kids interested into Science, Engineering, Technology and Math careers, which I'm very passionate about. There are many national schemes which aim to get kids interested in these careers but it does involve in the main the school being involved. Doing his A levels, Physics and Maths are recommended. The problem is kids don't really get exposed to the various branches of engineering until they're actually on their uni course. There's obviously chemistry involved in a Chemical Engineering degree but courses will differ from university to university and if it's a BSc or BEng (a lot do integrated MEng programmes these days with a view to the chartership path being more straightforward and offer an industrial placement). Maths put some people off and it is a requirement, however a lot of the first year at uni will be spent getting everyone up to a similar level.
Demand, we always have a need for good engineers and scientists and will continue to do so especially with new build reactors in the pipeline. We struggle to recruit at times due the relative isolation and population. Any specific question let me know or PM me.
Stu R said:
There is no 'one size fits all' best option for where to go. Anyone who says there's a shortage of Engineers probably hasn't a clue what they're talking about, as while it's true in some sectors it's not in others, and Engineering is a seriously broad-sweeping term. I've done mechanical and marine engineering and it can be very rewarding, both financially and in terms of job satisfaction. It can also be boring as hell.
Power Gen, Oil and Gas and the ancillary industries surrounding it, civil etc. There's tons of demand for engineers, good money in it for good people, and bags of room to move up (or sideways).
Just be aware that there's also tons of competition and while you might be a brilliant engineer, there's brilliant engineers from other countries that'll work for much less in many industries.
If Engineering floats his boat, I'd just concentrate on picking a solid base of A-levels - Maths and physics are hard to beat. Chemistry can be very useful (and boring). Degrees are essential for most decent jobs these days with few exceptions. If he's not interested in Engineering, I wouldn't push him towards it too hard - it'll bore the crap out of him. Conversely, if it's something he's into it can be pretty rewarding. Again, if he's into it, I'd tell him to consider a Marine Engineering course. He'll come out after 3 years with an HND (can be upgraded to degree with a few months extra - it's easy) and a 4th Engineer job on a ship, tax free salary in the 25-30k range. It's a nice alternative to the regular university path and you can move sideways into other engineering paths relatively easily.
Ultimately, I'd say just do whatever he fancies as it's never too late to change direction, it's not like the bad old days where it took years to retrain. I'm 31, reasonably well educated and I've moved between a few careers and industries, and still haven't decided what I fancy being when I grow up. I've mates well into their 40s that have had total changes of direction. To me the notion of picking a career at 15-16 and doing it until retirement is bonkers.
I'd be wary of pushy engineering on him if he's not into it - it can be a maths-heavy bore to learn at times even if you like it. If you don't, you'll probably get sick of it and look elsewhere long before you get a Bachelors.
I would echo the being interested. Sounds like common sense, but I knew a few very capable people who weren't all that interested in engineering. They could do the maths and the hard thinking, but that natural interest wasn't there. As a result they either dropped out mid way to start over or didn't get the results you might have expected of them.Power Gen, Oil and Gas and the ancillary industries surrounding it, civil etc. There's tons of demand for engineers, good money in it for good people, and bags of room to move up (or sideways).
Just be aware that there's also tons of competition and while you might be a brilliant engineer, there's brilliant engineers from other countries that'll work for much less in many industries.
If Engineering floats his boat, I'd just concentrate on picking a solid base of A-levels - Maths and physics are hard to beat. Chemistry can be very useful (and boring). Degrees are essential for most decent jobs these days with few exceptions. If he's not interested in Engineering, I wouldn't push him towards it too hard - it'll bore the crap out of him. Conversely, if it's something he's into it can be pretty rewarding. Again, if he's into it, I'd tell him to consider a Marine Engineering course. He'll come out after 3 years with an HND (can be upgraded to degree with a few months extra - it's easy) and a 4th Engineer job on a ship, tax free salary in the 25-30k range. It's a nice alternative to the regular university path and you can move sideways into other engineering paths relatively easily.
Ultimately, I'd say just do whatever he fancies as it's never too late to change direction, it's not like the bad old days where it took years to retrain. I'm 31, reasonably well educated and I've moved between a few careers and industries, and still haven't decided what I fancy being when I grow up. I've mates well into their 40s that have had total changes of direction. To me the notion of picking a career at 15-16 and doing it until retirement is bonkers.
I'd be wary of pushy engineering on him if he's not into it - it can be a maths-heavy bore to learn at times even if you like it. If you don't, you'll probably get sick of it and look elsewhere long before you get a Bachelors.
If you aren't that interested then an engineering degree just becomes a long slog and it isn't fun. Its hard work at the best of times even when you enjoy it!!!
Still an engineering degree really puts you on some solid ground. A good range of useful skills to trade. You can certainly do a lot worse than an engineering degree.
hbzboy said:
spikeyhead said:
Engineering covers three main streams, civil, mechanical and electrical.
We'll still need all three forever, it's the niches within them that change in demand. What's probably most important is doing what you most enjoy.
Ahem, Chemical??We'll still need all three forever, it's the niches within them that change in demand. What's probably most important is doing what you most enjoy.
Lynchie999 said:
hbzboy said:
spikeyhead said:
Engineering covers three main streams, civil, mechanical and electrical.
We'll still need all three forever, it's the niches within them that change in demand. What's probably most important is doing what you most enjoy.
Ahem, Chemical??We'll still need all three forever, it's the niches within them that change in demand. What's probably most important is doing what you most enjoy.
Do chem engs still need a PhD to get a decent job?
I think other have mentioned it, but doing a course he is interested in (rather than job or career opportunity) is the best option to go for.
I had an interest in 'mechanical' things, thought I wanted to be an architect, flunked A Levels and studied Metallurgy at degree level. A fixed career path between the ages of 15 and 21 was not something I could rely on and could easily have led to disappointment. Therefore, I would recommend a degree course that keeps your options open later. I worked hard at degree level and got a decent honours degree. I really enjoyed the course and have been 'lucky' with my career to date (now 40 year old.....)
I had an interest in 'mechanical' things, thought I wanted to be an architect, flunked A Levels and studied Metallurgy at degree level. A fixed career path between the ages of 15 and 21 was not something I could rely on and could easily have led to disappointment. Therefore, I would recommend a degree course that keeps your options open later. I worked hard at degree level and got a decent honours degree. I really enjoyed the course and have been 'lucky' with my career to date (now 40 year old.....)
spikeyhead said:
Do chem engs still need a PhD to get a decent job?
Do not think so......... Son just started at one of the better Universities. 95% of their graduates secured roles within 6 months of graduation - over half of them on £30K+ with a few £40K +/- £2K. 
To be fair they graduate with MEng but nonetheless that is good money for "young adult" with virtually no work experience.
Foppo said:
More companies should take on apprentices in my opinion.Give the youngsters a change.
That doesn't address Professional Engineer recruitment , that addresses craftie and tech recruitment and a few techs follow a modernised route of the old way to IEng (via HNC , HND etc rather than via BEng degree, CEng now requires Masters level academics). Personally I fell out with the Maths in Degree level Engineering and ended taking a year out and then went into Healthcare. Unfortuantely Engineering in the UK takes a lot of uncalled for stick mainly becasue the EngC never pushed hard enough for enclosure of title meaning that we've got everyone from sub fitter repairmen upwards calling themselves Engineers rather than it being restricted to IEng and CEng ( or those building their proftfolio for accreditation).
Another thing that has to be remembered is that any 'bench fighting'; ability that a professional engineer has is considered a nice to have extra - becasue that;s what crafties and techs are for in the workplace.
If hes doing it for just the money/job security he will hate it, a Engineering course is alot harder than most other university courses, you need to be passionate about it to succeed.
In terms of when he leaves secondary school, please make sure he does not do an engineering BTEC, I speak from experience when I say it does not set you up for a degree in the slightest and those two years of lazing about with 100% coursework now means I'm set to struggle for 4 years and probably come out with a 2:1 at best, if he does well in maths, ext maths, physics and chemistry A-levels he will walk the 1st year of uni (the hands-on and essay writing skills are alot easier to pick up and are alot easier to pass without at uni)
Doing projects and engineering-related stuff out of uni will make him stand out come placement/grad job time, all students will have similar academic projects and skills, experience out of academia is huge boon for employers.
If he decides engineering is for him but cannot decide which sector; mechanical is the safest bet.
Just my 2p, currently in my 2nd year of Automotive Engineering.
In terms of when he leaves secondary school, please make sure he does not do an engineering BTEC, I speak from experience when I say it does not set you up for a degree in the slightest and those two years of lazing about with 100% coursework now means I'm set to struggle for 4 years and probably come out with a 2:1 at best, if he does well in maths, ext maths, physics and chemistry A-levels he will walk the 1st year of uni (the hands-on and essay writing skills are alot easier to pick up and are alot easier to pass without at uni)
Doing projects and engineering-related stuff out of uni will make him stand out come placement/grad job time, all students will have similar academic projects and skills, experience out of academia is huge boon for employers.
If he decides engineering is for him but cannot decide which sector; mechanical is the safest bet.
Just my 2p, currently in my 2nd year of Automotive Engineering.
At his age I'd just be keeping as many options open as possible. If he thinks engineering might be of interest then as others have said he should pick Maths and Physics A-Levels plus other non-bulls
tty subjects. The great thing is that he wouldn't be limiting himself to engineering by doing so. Any number of numerate options would still be available at University. Similarly if he did chose an engineering degree and then decided a career as an engineer was not for him, he'd still have lots of options. Finance, accountancy firms, mgmt consultancies, IT service providers are after numerate grads; strong degree from a good university in any numerate discipline will do fine.
tty subjects. The great thing is that he wouldn't be limiting himself to engineering by doing so. Any number of numerate options would still be available at University. Similarly if he did chose an engineering degree and then decided a career as an engineer was not for him, he'd still have lots of options. Finance, accountancy firms, mgmt consultancies, IT service providers are after numerate grads; strong degree from a good university in any numerate discipline will do fine. I feel like every bnit of advise i give in this section is the same, however... anyone looking to get in to engineering should strongly consider a merchant navy cadetship. Especially your lad at 15.
Any training company he is succesful with wil pay for him to complete an HND or Foundation Degree and even the full BEng Hons should both parties want and agree it's viable.
They will also pay a wage of £800- £1200 a month during training. All the above means he's trained to degree level with no student debt.
When qualified he will be looking at 3rd engineer/electrical engineer jobs onboard merchant ships, starting at around 26k (tax free). Scope for earning is massive, if hes clever, committed and flexible in 10 years, depending on his moves and choices he should be on upwards of 50k, again tax free.
Meantime... his time will be spent between sea and home, 6 months at work, 6 months at home, chilling, driving his cars, renovating houses, whatever he's into. When at sea he'll be having life changing experiences, travelling the world, meeting loads of people, cultures, races. Working hard but playing hard too.
I got into it late as I tossed it off and done a graphic design degree for 4 years first... given my time again i'd of been straight onto this at 17/18 when i finished school.
If you/he wants more info on how to find out more (companies to look into, time frames, school grades etc...) just ask and i'll happily help.
Stick with him... choosing a career is tough, especially at 15 but no matter what anyone says, his choices over the next 3/4/5 years will really count.
Any training company he is succesful with wil pay for him to complete an HND or Foundation Degree and even the full BEng Hons should both parties want and agree it's viable.
They will also pay a wage of £800- £1200 a month during training. All the above means he's trained to degree level with no student debt.
When qualified he will be looking at 3rd engineer/electrical engineer jobs onboard merchant ships, starting at around 26k (tax free). Scope for earning is massive, if hes clever, committed and flexible in 10 years, depending on his moves and choices he should be on upwards of 50k, again tax free.
Meantime... his time will be spent between sea and home, 6 months at work, 6 months at home, chilling, driving his cars, renovating houses, whatever he's into. When at sea he'll be having life changing experiences, travelling the world, meeting loads of people, cultures, races. Working hard but playing hard too.
I got into it late as I tossed it off and done a graphic design degree for 4 years first... given my time again i'd of been straight onto this at 17/18 when i finished school.
If you/he wants more info on how to find out more (companies to look into, time frames, school grades etc...) just ask and i'll happily help.
Stick with him... choosing a career is tough, especially at 15 but no matter what anyone says, his choices over the next 3/4/5 years will really count.
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