Interesting Engineering Jobs...??
Discussion
Hi all,
Random question, but I left university a year ago with a 2:1 degree in Mechanical engineering & business management from the University of Birmingham. I've been working for the last 13 months in an oil and gas design consultancy in London and I have to admit, I'm a bit bored. I did a few months work experience in my last summer at uni out at a Gas terminal in Norfolk with several trips out to the rigs which was a bit better, but I really want some more travel and a bit more excitement in my job, as well as decent money.
I may look to apply to some project work in oil & gas for a larger oil compay abroad, but I was just wondering if there are any career paths I should take a look at. One idea that struck me out of the blue was the royal engineers or some military based engineer job. I've literally no experience with this except that my Grandfather was a sapper, but any idea of potential wages/careers?
Random question, but I left university a year ago with a 2:1 degree in Mechanical engineering & business management from the University of Birmingham. I've been working for the last 13 months in an oil and gas design consultancy in London and I have to admit, I'm a bit bored. I did a few months work experience in my last summer at uni out at a Gas terminal in Norfolk with several trips out to the rigs which was a bit better, but I really want some more travel and a bit more excitement in my job, as well as decent money.
I may look to apply to some project work in oil & gas for a larger oil compay abroad, but I was just wondering if there are any career paths I should take a look at. One idea that struck me out of the blue was the royal engineers or some military based engineer job. I've literally no experience with this except that my Grandfather was a sapper, but any idea of potential wages/careers?
Yeah thanks for that, really helpful!
Of course I know I'm not going to go straight into the most interesting job in the world from the off, but working in a design consultancy isn't really going to change an awful lot over the years. In fact several of my collegues have been here there for years and still don't do anything I'd really call interesting. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I can't travel with my job and do some interesting stuff?!
Of course I know I'm not going to go straight into the most interesting job in the world from the off, but working in a design consultancy isn't really going to change an awful lot over the years. In fact several of my collegues have been here there for years and still don't do anything I'd really call interesting. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I can't travel with my job and do some interesting stuff?!
I don't agree with the 'you only get s
t jobs as a junior' mantra - I know a few folk from uni who went into the oil and gas industry, and have spent plenty of time on installation visits round the globe as well as the inevitable office work, are enjoying life and getting paid a healthy salary. I'm sure companies like Schlumberger will have more field-based careers - I don't think working in a consultancy would really help if you want to be at the 'sharp end' of things.
Re: the Army; as an officer you'll be involved in a lot of man management - if you're interested in engineering projects to work towards chartership, REME would probably be a better bet than RE, especially since you have a Mech. Eng. background. Don't discount RN or RAF engineering jobs either. Pay will be according to rank, which is available on the Army website. As a graduate, you'll be promoted to Captain within 3 years; any further is based on merit. Your local careers office will be able to provide lots of info., and possibly put you on visits to various units if you're keen to join.
t jobs as a junior' mantra - I know a few folk from uni who went into the oil and gas industry, and have spent plenty of time on installation visits round the globe as well as the inevitable office work, are enjoying life and getting paid a healthy salary. I'm sure companies like Schlumberger will have more field-based careers - I don't think working in a consultancy would really help if you want to be at the 'sharp end' of things.Re: the Army; as an officer you'll be involved in a lot of man management - if you're interested in engineering projects to work towards chartership, REME would probably be a better bet than RE, especially since you have a Mech. Eng. background. Don't discount RN or RAF engineering jobs either. Pay will be according to rank, which is available on the Army website. As a graduate, you'll be promoted to Captain within 3 years; any further is based on merit. Your local careers office will be able to provide lots of info., and possibly put you on visits to various units if you're keen to join.
i'm sure you are aware of oilcareers.com and the like? or the multitude of offshore job boards on linkedin?
i'm sure your skills are transferable to the field environment, get looking and sending off speculative applications.
fwiw, i'm in the same boat although i don't have the benefit of an OG background. i accepted voluntary redundancy 5mths ago as my deskbound design engineering role was boring me to the point of exhaustion.
i'm sure your skills are transferable to the field environment, get looking and sending off speculative applications.
fwiw, i'm in the same boat although i don't have the benefit of an OG background. i accepted voluntary redundancy 5mths ago as my deskbound design engineering role was boring me to the point of exhaustion.
Hi Andy.
Unfortunately I didn't hear anything further, so if you are aware of any other opportunities I'd be more than grateful if you can dig around on my behalf.
So far I've had 2 interviews with local OG design consultancies and was rejected both times - one due to them opting for someone with experience and the second as we both agreed I'd outgrow the role too quickly (it was mainly preparing p&id schematics). I also had a rejection letter for KCA Deutag's graduate scheme.
My only progress has been acceptance onto the MSc course in offshore engineering but I intend to defer entry until next year to give me more time to pursue alternatives.
At least with BP in the headlines I'm getting good insight into deep sea operations!
Unfortunately I didn't hear anything further, so if you are aware of any other opportunities I'd be more than grateful if you can dig around on my behalf.
So far I've had 2 interviews with local OG design consultancies and was rejected both times - one due to them opting for someone with experience and the second as we both agreed I'd outgrow the role too quickly (it was mainly preparing p&id schematics). I also had a rejection letter for KCA Deutag's graduate scheme.
My only progress has been acceptance onto the MSc course in offshore engineering but I intend to defer entry until next year to give me more time to pursue alternatives.
At least with BP in the headlines I'm getting good insight into deep sea operations!
450Nick said:
Yeah thanks for that, really helpful!
Of course I know I'm not going to go straight into the most interesting job in the world from the off, but working in a design consultancy isn't really going to change an awful lot over the years. In fact several of my collegues have been here there for years and still don't do anything I'd really call interesting. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I can't travel with my job and do some interesting stuff?!
It really sounds like you need to get a job with the oil field services type companies. these are the Schlumberger & Halliburtons of this world. Pay is good, locations are "interesting", challanges are high. They place tremendous demands on young engineers & look for the very best young engineers, that are very practical, not just academic. Of course I know I'm not going to go straight into the most interesting job in the world from the off, but working in a design consultancy isn't really going to change an awful lot over the years. In fact several of my collegues have been here there for years and still don't do anything I'd really call interesting. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I can't travel with my job and do some interesting stuff?!
Bullett said:
what did you expect?
Any position out of uni is going to be crap and boring, you don't get the good jobs until you climb the food chain.
Also disagree with above. Your levels of responsibility might be quite low initially but that doesn't mean the job won't be interesting. No reason to be sat in an office designing safety valves for 10 years!!!Any position out of uni is going to be crap and boring, you don't get the good jobs until you climb the food chain.
If you've the talent then you can start your graduate career doing some very interesting jobs - I know graduate Chemical engineers who worked on offshore rigs as their first jobs, whilst I got to wear breathing apparatus, chemical suits and the like and crawl around inside FCC's, hydrocrackers and all sorts of bits of kit within my first 4 weeks out of uni. Didn't find it boring at all!
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