Automotive Graduate Programs

[MattPym]

Looking for some advice/experiences here....

I am just about to start my final year in uni which I hopefully come out of with a good Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering. For the last year or so I have been looking around at what I could do once I finish my degree and for as long as I can remember I have wanted to work in the automotive industry as it is one thing that I am really passionate about, so have been considering applying for a position in a Graduate Program that is offered by some of the car manufacturers like McLaren, Rolls Royce, Lotus, Jaguar/LandRover and so on.

Has anyone on here been on one of these graduate programs? And if you did what were your experiences of it like?

Thanks in advance

Matt

[benje]

Hi Matt,

I hope you don't mind me asking, but why specifically the Automotive Industry? I started working in it for one of the major Tier 1 suppliers after I graduated, however it wasn't a proper graduate program. I'm still in it, moving from where I started to a small electronics test house (I have an electronics degree) then back again and then only recently, I've moved again.

If you want to get into it because you love cars, then I think you'll be disappointed, as most of it will be paperwork (much like any career) I can't talk from the OEM perspective though, so someone might know better than me. Certainly from my experience from Tier 1, it's good for project management experience, but actual engineering activities I didn't get much from it.

Cheers

Ben

[MattPym]

I'm not afraid of a bit of project management, but i would prefer to be doing something in which i actually get to design parts and develop ideas and improve them (R&D I suppose).

TBH I have no brilliant reason for why the automotive industry in particular. It takes my interest more so than other industries and it's one of the areas I have been looking at for when i finish my course. I suppose I more confused than anything about what to do after Uni. I haven't been able to turn up too much on graduate programs anywhere else and from what I can see most companies only really want experienced graduates, something which i wont be when i am done.

[oniznorb]

I went through a graduate scheme many years ago with BL, and gained a good background in automotive engineering. Make sure that the training programme leads to Chartered status. Get in touch with the IMechE who will be able to let you know where to look.

[Engineer1]

Try your hardest to get on one, it is better to start your career with a household name then decide where you really want to go than start with a none entity and try to get into something bigger later.

[Nic jones]

I've just been accepted onto the Nissan graduate scheme and start in 2 weeks.

I found it by making a list of all the companies and googling them looking for grad schemes.