Careers in smaller engineering firms
Careers in smaller engineering firms
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Discussion

Meldonte

Original Poster:

264 posts

200 months

Thursday 11th April 2013
quotequote all
Hi there,

Just hoping for a bit of guidance / advice from anyone who's made the leap from a huge blue chip engineering firm to a smaller outfit.

I currently work in aerospace and although the company's products are hugely complex and exciting both from a technical standpoint and a 'cor blimey look at that!' point of view I find myself on a day to day basis bored to tears staring at reports/spreadsheets/tools/presentations. I don't feel like an engineer. In my current role I am effectively a spokesperson / evidence gatherer for all the different engineering functions that make up our products. I feel guilty because many people from the outside would kill for a job like mine but the reality of this new role is very different internally,

I have just come off a graduate scheme into a role and the prospect of doing the same largely non technical drudgery day in day out truly terrifies me. The opportunities for sideways moves into a role that I feel suits me more appear limited (ie i asked, but was denied) and I am feeling trapped, I don't necessarily want to leave as some of the opportunities I got whilst on graduate rotations were fantastic and suited me down to the ground but realistically I am facing doing a 2 year 'stint' before I can go hunting for an internal role that excites me.

Alongside this I have some major gripes a sideways move wouldn't fix:

1) Aerospace by necessity is slooooooooowwwwwwwww. Decisions take years to be made and projects seem to bumble along at huge expense achieving very little in the medium term.

2) Major engineering firms don't know/ understand their talent pool - their appears to be very little effort / opportunity to align people skills and interests with work. Everyone at my career stage is kept very rounded and uniform and I'd be looking at 10+ years before I'd be specialised in any regard... Everyone does the same courses and learns the same ropes meaning it is very hard to innovate and present a fresh perspective.

3) The paper trail behind these products again by necessity is unimaginably huge. Ways of searching through this paper trail are unimaginably poor meaning you can spend weeks trying to work out if someone has already done the task you are trying to do.

4) Huge amount of money wasted on certain parts of business yet others left massively neglected for years, again once wheels are in motion although slow turning are huge and have a lot of inertia. Senior management feel disconnected from organisation.

5) There are so many talented individuals that getting recognition for good work, with the reward being more trust and responsibility within a role is effectively impossible. You seem to get praised more for 'putting in the hours' rather than the quality of work (ie I could pull crazy hours to look through 10,000 data files and it might get recognised by a crappy a4 certificate of excellence for going beyond call of duty or you could actually use your brains and write a script in a day that will do it all for you in an hour and that other people can use in the future and the attitude will be 'oh that was easy then wasn't it')

6) Engineering by PowerPoint in stuffy meeting rooms where no one is really listening - it's st + flippin dangerous.


All this leads me to think I'd be better off working in a faster paced industry more orientated towards innovative r&d in a smaller organisation (~20-300 staff) where after getting the foot in the door it might be possible to get noticed in a positive way sooner and progress based on merit rather than a 'one size fits no one development framework' contorted and tacked onto me with awkward 'key competencies' and 'core values' that no one really understands the meaning off but try to use anyway.

For anyone that's thought similar and made the leap... Was the grass greener on the otherside? What is the management culture and feel like of smaller engineering firms? i dont think id miss the multimillion pound projects as im a huge believer in doing things in a heath robinson manner initially and continuously innovating and improving rather than being hugely cautious about everything.

I have the utmost respect for where I currently work and the training and opportunities ive been given but somehow just feel like I don't fit in and it's very demotivating.

Sorry for the long post, just reflecting after a particularly trying day I suppose..

P.s. sorry for speeling grammerr and punctuation's - I can see why Shakespeare didn't write with an ipad now.


Edited by Meldonte on Thursday 11th April 20:40

AlR26

60 posts

191 months

Thursday 11th April 2013
quotequote all
Would you rather work for a product company or an engineering consultancy?

Consultancies will certainly deliver fast paced work that can be incredibly diverse in nature. The internal cultures can be incredibly different between the Cambridge based engineering consultancies that I know.

New POD

3,851 posts

179 months

Thursday 11th April 2013
quotequote all
You'll be working at ROLLs Royce then in Derby.

I did a bit of contract work there, last year and the year before, and rented a (midweek) room off a brilliantly clever ex grad, who was totally stifled. He also rented a room to another ex grad who was completely frustrated.

I told both of them numerous times that they needed to go and work in a medium sized organisation for 5 years, where they would see the whole product introduction process, from concept, to manufacture, and would be involved in all aspects of it, including dealing with customer, testing, suppliers, and the like. Then they should reassess and see if product design consultancy, or a return to a larger organisation (at a higher level) or just plain stress free contracting would appeal more.


spikeyhead

20,361 posts

226 months

Friday 12th April 2013
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New POD said:
You'll be working at ROLLs Royce then in Derby.
I've worked in many similar, large organizations.

I've also worked in smaller places and the occasional Cambridge (and other) consultancy and the smaller the place the more varied and interesting the work, but the challenges placed on the individual are also higher.

MyNiceCarpet

17 posts

166 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
I made the leap in the other direction.....to see what it was like in a 'professional blue chip' organisation.

Haha, well done me.

I'm now experiencing all the things you mention. I simply cannot believe the way things work. Definitely an invaluable learning experience though.

Things to bear in mind is that I had a lot more responsibility through exposure to different projects, by the simple fact that there weren't many people in the company. It didn't favour the spoon fed. Multi skilling was essential.

Payrises were up to you. Don't ask, don't get.

Flexibility was better. But then it worked both ways.




sparkyb999

322 posts

227 months

Friday 12th April 2013
quotequote all
I have never worked for a large company like you mention, but do in a smaller engineering company. In my opinion and from my expereince its all down to the employee and how focused and determined they are to what opportunities come their way. We have had staff for 20 years and they are on the same machine as they didnt want to progress, didnt want to learn and were quiet happy to come in day in day out and do the same job.
On the other end, I have guy that have been with me for 5 years, and I have invested in them by buying the £1/4 million machines and i keep throwing money at them and will continue to do so, as i get a lot from them, build a great relationship with them and basically scratch each others backs.

I employe 30 people, and love it when i take on someone keen and willing. I will build their knowledge by sending them on training, and invest in them to try and make sure they stay interested and dont mind coming to work in the morning. Engineering can sometimes be repetitive but we are in the motorsport industry so is very fast pace and the weeks fly by!!


les3002

341 posts

226 months

Monday 15th April 2013
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I'm in a similar position to you, and I suspect the same company. Like you I'm struggling with the lack of creativity, inertia to change and the frustrating nature of the processes. I'm also looking at making the move to a smaller company in the hope of a more rounded exposure to the design process.

I'll be watching this with interest.

Meldonte

Original Poster:

264 posts

200 months

Saturday 20th April 2013
quotequote all
New POD said:
You'll be working at ROLLs Royce then in Derby.

I did a bit of contract work there, last year and the year before, and rented a (midweek) room off a brilliantly clever ex grad, who was totally stifled. He also rented a room to another ex grad who was completely frustrated.

I told both of them numerous times that they needed to go and work in a medium sized organisation for 5 years, where they would see the whole product introduction process, from concept, to manufacture, and would be involved in all aspects of it, including dealing with customer, testing, suppliers, and the like. Then they should reassess and see if product design consultancy, or a return to a larger organisation (at a higher level) or just plain stress free contracting would appeal more.
Couldn't possibly comment whistle


Tbf I've had placements in the scheme where I've had to consider whole life cycle from "womb to tomb" ( yes somebody actually said that the other day :/) and turned around rigs from an internal customer brief to delivered hardware in 12 weeks which was great fun.

I think moving is probably what I'll end up doing tbh. It seems a shame but I feel I've been forced into it, if I were to leave on amicable terms there's nothing to stop me going back at a higher level as you say. I just can't believe the pace of work.. And find myself guilty of it now, whilst at uni/ having just started it used to baffle me when people say they'd get back to me in a week with something I knew full well would take 30mims but I find my productivity is falling off a cliff now and I seem to draw vaguely interesting stuff out as long as possible so it won't be replaced with more boring stuff, this is obviously really bad.

Are there many freelance contractors in engineering at my age (~25), doesn't seem to be norm and I'm wondering why as its certainly where the money's at? I can be mobile within a radius but don't want to keep upping sticks every few months.

Meldonte

Original Poster:

264 posts

200 months

Saturday 20th April 2013
quotequote all
sparkyb999 said:
I have never worked for a large company like you mention, but do in a smaller engineering company. In my opinion and from my expereince its all down to the employee and how focused and determined they are to what opportunities come their way. We have had staff for 20 years and they are on the same machine as they didnt want to progress, didnt want to learn and were quiet happy to come in day in day out and do the same job.
On the other end, I have guy that have been with me for 5 years, and I have invested in them by buying the £1/4 million machines and i keep throwing money at them and will continue to do so, as i get a lot from them, build a great relationship with them and basically scratch each others backs.

I employe 30 people, and love it when i take on someone keen and willing. I will build their knowledge by sending them on training, and invest in them to try and make sure they stay interested and dont mind coming to work in the morning. Engineering can sometimes be repetitive but we are in the motorsport industry so is very fast pace and the weeks fly by!!
Ooh Motorsport - I would like some experience here before I become funnelled into aerospace forever.

Fancy an extra pair of hands? - I am happy to ping a CV over to you hehe (worth a try). Keen and willing I certainly am, I just feel like I'm being held in 1st gear and bouncing off the limiter.

Oily Nails

2,932 posts

229 months

Saturday 20th April 2013
quotequote all
OP other option is to try working at a small engineering site that is part of a wider/global group.
I've been in such a business from leaving university and although occasionally meeting some of the same 'dither/delays' as the OP its generally far more fruitful/entertaining

Meldonte

Original Poster:

264 posts

200 months

Sunday 21st April 2013
quotequote all
Oily Nails said:
OP other option is to try working at a small engineering site that is part of a wider/global group.
I've been in such a business from leaving university and although occasionally meeting some of the same 'dither/delays' as the OP its generally far more fruitful/entertaining
My last placement was just this and I loved it, they were going to try to take me on full time, unfortunately a big contract was lost and they are no longer expanding the team. Maybe some time in the future eh..

spaceship

922 posts

204 months

Monday 22nd April 2013
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Not sure if it's already been mentioned but you could start working for a small firm which ends up being gobbled up by a huge organisation.

That is what happened to the company I was working for. We became very appealing to the larger firms who wanted what we did and the director sold out. Not saying he did the wrong thing, he made his money and got out. Fair play to him.

Sometimes I do wish we were still a small company. I get fed up with the corporate bs.

snotrag

15,624 posts

240 months

Tuesday 23rd April 2013
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OP - maybe I can advise. I'm 27, currently working for a small/medium commercial vehicle manufacturer (orders of magnitude smaller than your typical automotive, its no Ford or GM!).

I have previously worked for 2 very small (20 employees) manufacturing type companies, after Uni. This was a nightmare. Basically family business size - no good, no career prospects, was just a filler.

I also looked at all the usual grad schemes, did a few interviews etc, but I was worried about becoming exactly what you describe.

Where I am now is much, much better. C 3-400 employees. Big enough to have a HR department, to be organised (just!), to have processes, an IT dept etc. Sounds silly, but at the really small firms, those things not existing can be a real problem.

We have about 20-30 in engineering, and obviously work closely with the manufacturing side of things. I am getting along really well - I get to see things go from being a proposal on my screen, to being made in the factory next door - I get to touch and see the things I've drawn up. I get to deal with the top level management when required, they know who the engineers are, and I also get to deal with the lads doing on the tools at the same time. The dept is small enough that I get to see all aspects and work in all areas. Course there is downsides - job security not the best (we get the odd scare stories), pay not as good as a bigger company, bit of office politics, and your very visible if you cock anything up!

For the time being, it feels just about right, and I'm enjoying it.

edc

9,623 posts

280 months

Wednesday 24th April 2013
quotequote all
I work for a small-medium sized Aerospace Engineering/manufacturing business who just happens to be owned by one of the largest if not the largest Aerospace business in the market. Depending on your point of view you can have the best or worst of both worlds. Best practice, tools, process and systems can be cross-fertilised. If you are mobile you potentially have a good opportunity to float across locations or business units. The flipside can be onerous bureacracy, reporting and too much on-size fits all activity.

Otispunkmeyer

13,759 posts

184 months

Wednesday 24th April 2013
quotequote all
snotrag said:
OP - maybe I can advise. I'm 27, currently working for a small/medium commercial vehicle manufacturer (orders of magnitude smaller than your typical automotive, its no Ford or GM!).

I have previously worked for 2 very small (20 employees) manufacturing type companies, after Uni. This was a nightmare. Basically family business size - no good, no career prospects, was just a filler.

I also looked at all the usual grad schemes, did a few interviews etc, but I was worried about becoming exactly what you describe.

Where I am now is much, much better. C 3-400 employees. Big enough to have a HR department, to be organised (just!), to have processes, an IT dept etc. Sounds silly, but at the really small firms, those things not existing can be a real problem.

We have about 20-30 in engineering, and obviously work closely with the manufacturing side of things. I am getting along really well - I get to see things go from being a proposal on my screen, to being made in the factory next door - I get to touch and see the things I've drawn up. I get to deal with the top level management when required, they know who the engineers are, and I also get to deal with the lads doing on the tools at the same time. The dept is small enough that I get to see all aspects and work in all areas. Course there is downsides - job security not the best (we get the odd scare stories), pay not as good as a bigger company, bit of office politics, and your very visible if you cock anything up!

For the time being, it feels just about right, and I'm enjoying it.
sounds ideal that man!

Definitely something to think about. Very large companies you can easily become a very small cog in the machine, very small companies you can be left with no where to go, no progression. Interesting balance to strike.

As for the OP, well if you switched his name with mine and "large company in Aerospace...probably Rolls" with "Large, french company who make steam turbines and trains" then the story would be the same.

Duller than ditch water doesn't cover it and that was just the people who worked there and strangely for a large company, career progression seemed to be sloth like, if it existed at all. Vast swathes of employees essentially doing the same job they did when they started 30 years ago. Whilst managers and especially HR managers never seemed to be sat in their offices long enough for the seat to get warm. If you want career progression seems like HR is the route!

I never even finished the grad scheme. Handed the golden handshake back and left to do a PhD. If I hated it with every fiber of my being during the grad scheme, I don't think I would have liked it any more with a permanent role. Turned out to be a good move in the end because those grads who waited out the 2 year scheme (half left before time like me) ended up being shunted into a corner until they could actually find a job for them to do. Last I heard, one guy was simply floating around the departments again for anyone who needed a spare pare of hands.

thanks, but no thanks. Glad I ditched that job even if it does look bad that I didn't stick out a grad scheme.

Partly my fault because they weren't a company I would have chosen ordinarily, but at the time the economy was properly in the toilet and they were one of the few still hiring so late into the grad scheme cycle (my previous job I had lined up for my finish fell through at the last minute due to the economy and was probably a 500 or so employee division of a larger company and was perfect!). So I took the job and thought I could stick it out till the economy got better. But I just couldn't. I couldn't let myself become a drone.




Meldonte

Original Poster:

264 posts

200 months

Wednesday 24th April 2013
quotequote all
Otispunkmeyer said:
sounds ideal that man!

Definitely something to think about. Very large companies you can easily become a very small cog in the machine, very small companies you can be left with no where to go, no progression. Interesting balance to strike.

As for the OP, well if you switched his name with mine and "large company in Aerospace...probably Rolls" with "Large, french company who make steam turbines and trains" then the story would be the same.

Duller than ditch water doesn't cover it and that was just the people who worked there and strangely for a large company, career progression seemed to be sloth like, if it existed at all. Vast swathes of employees essentially doing the same job they did when they started 30 years ago. Whilst managers and especially HR managers never seemed to be sat in their offices long enough for the seat to get warm. If you want career progression seems like HR is the route!

I never even finished the grad scheme. Handed the golden handshake back and left to do a PhD. If I hated it with every fiber of my being during the grad scheme, I don't think I would have liked it any more with a permanent role. Turned out to be a good move in the end because those grads who waited out the 2 year scheme (half left before time like me) ended up being shunted into a corner until they could actually find a job for them to do. Last I heard, one guy was simply floating around the departments again for anyone who needed a spare pare of hands.

thanks, but no thanks. Glad I ditched that job even if it does look bad that I didn't stick out a grad scheme.

Partly my fault because they weren't a company I would have chosen ordinarily, but at the time the economy was properly in the toilet and they were one of the few still hiring so late into the grad scheme cycle (my previous job I had lined up for my finish fell through at the last minute due to the economy and was probably a 500 or so employee division of a larger company and was perfect!). So I took the job and thought I could stick it out till the economy got better. But I just couldn't. I couldn't let myself become a drone.
I feel a bit more alive today smile put in an application for a role at Red bull racing f1 which seemed initially like the job description had been written for me! I know chances are more than slim but I'd kind of forgotten that I have a strong CV and that there is a world outside of the dull decrepit corridors and workhouse like project halls. Feels good!

GadgeS3C

4,727 posts

193 months

Thursday 25th April 2013
quotequote all
Meldonte said:
I feel a bit more alive today smile put in an application for a role at Red bull racing f1 which seemed initially like the job description had been written for me! I know chances are more than slim but I'd kind of forgotten that I have a strong CV and that there is a world outside of the dull decrepit corridors and workhouse like project halls. Feels good!
Good man, just remember to ignore them if they tell you you haven't got the job and turn up anyway wink