Getting started in engineering?

[ManaghGB]

Hi,

I feel I am at a bit of a dead end in my hunt for a new career. I'm curently a lifeguard at a local leisure centre and I've been there for nearly 4 years. It was only supposed to be a stop gap while I was at college but due to small promotions and lack of options, I'm still here.

I'm also doing a Renewable Energy Technicions course which is home based and will give me a level 3 NVQ in plumbing and some knowledge on the renewable energy industry. This is going well but I'm finding it difficult to stay motivated without doing hands on experience. I've got all the grades and qualifications they want, just not the experience.

In the past month I've applied for engineering apprenticeships with 3 national companies and got down to the final selection of 5/6 people. However I've been told by all 3 that I lack experience so wasn't suited to the role. Their points are correct as the only real experience I've got is through working on my car and doing maintenance work on the pump/filtration system at the leisure centre I work at.

How do people first get into the engineering industry (very broad I know) and in particular the renewable energy sector?

Thanks

[The Beaver King]

I assume from the fact you've mentioned plumbing and renewables that we are talking about the construction industry?

If so, a few bits of advice.

For starters you want to be applying for low grade positions, Junior Engineers and the like. I'd be looking towards smaller mechanical companies in the commerical and industrial sector. The renewables market for domestic is quite small and mainly geared towards high end residential, these tend to be picked up by larger M&E companies.

You can use other positions as a spring board into engineering. For example, a job as an account executive for a renewables supplier. With reasonable pipework and renewables knowledge, someone who supplies photovoltaic systems or biomass boilers could be an option.

Apprentiship schemes are also a path, although the pay is pretty poor initally. As you've already made head way in your qualifications, this should put you in a good light.

ETA - Looking at where you're based (Shropshire), Dodd Group are based Telford way and could be worth sending your CV over to.

Edited by The Beaver King on Monday 16th September 12:08

[GrahamPM]

I own an Project Engineering company with 6 employees and we really struggle to find & recruit good engineers. The problem started years ago when the big engineering companies shut down their apprenticeship schemes and the 'supply' of young enthusiastic engineers dried up. I went through the EITB training scheme (30 years ago!) working for a local engineering company and received training at British Aerospace and Simon Engineering (all long since shut down) as well as 7 years at Stockport Technology College.
We did try and employee a 'young lad' who had just got a HTEC in Engineering, but it was akin to swimming with a weight around your legs dragging everyone down - it's a real problem as we don't have the time to train anyone.
Depending on what you see yourself doing in Engineering a very good starting point, IMO is to try & learn AutoCAD - either 2 or 3D, this is the industry standard to get into product design and manufacture. The UK engineering manufacturing is still busy and sold short many times by the Universities - fabrication and sheetmetal aren't seen as 'sexy' but it is necessary!
Graham