Degree and career advice for (potential) electrical engineer

[Mr Pies]

I am currently in a bit of a pickle about what to do education wise and thought I would seek the wise of PH to offer me some advice if possible.

I am a qualified electrician and in my second year of a HNC in electrical engineering (part time) and work full time along side this. My ultimate aim is to hopefully one day work for a big energy company and work on the national grid/high voltage systems.
For reasons I wont bore you with my current employer would not help me with regards to doing the HNC, I have had to use my own annual leave entitlement to go once a week, and fund it myself.

This year has been a struggle for me. Mainly due to how little leave I have had for myself as I have used it all for college. Anyway, I want to carry on learning and really really want to go on to complete a degree, preferably in electrical engineering. Due to the fact my current company will not support me, I will have to go down the distance learning route.

I have phoned the Open University today and spoke to a careers advisor. Sadly they do not do a specified electrical engineering degree. They do a generic BEng where I can pick modules to suit myself.

My question is this. Bearing in mind I one day want to work on the national grid, will it matter if I have an engineering degree instead of a specific electrical engineering degree?

I have been looking on the National grid careers page, and most of the jobs on there seem to just specify 'an engineering degree'.

Is there anyone on here who works in this industry and can advise me?

Thank you in advance.

[rog007]

If it were me, I'd bite the bullet and go to Uni full-time (assuming I met the entry standards). Assuming this will not tilt any financial commitments, it will be worth it in the long run. Bursaries are available to help soften the blow. Good luck!

[Mr Pies]

Hi rog. Unfortunately I have too many financial commitments now to be able to do that, as much as I would love to though. Plus, I'm 30 now, probably a bit too old for freshers week

[Capita]

Hi mate

I feel your pain, I was in a similar position about 18- 24 months ago where I was forced to pack in a pat time elec eng foundation degree I was taking due to permission rescinded to attend from management, I had nowhere near enough annual leave to continue/see out the next 1.5 years, and again like you I was self funding which made the situation a bitter pill to swallow.

I cant offer you much advice, I have done what courses I can in the mean time that I was able to do in my own time which unfortunately tops out at an NVQ3 since HNC/Foundation degree are simply undoable due to the attendance side of things - there is the distance learning route but I much prefer if possible to attend, and I wanted a specific qual (ie elec eng foundation degree) due to the modules covered.

Just dont give up on where you want to get to.

[bucksmanuk]

OU degrees have a mixed press, but then again so do many other qualifications. I know a couple of guys who have done the OU engineering degree mentioned, and I must say neither isn’t short of technical understanding. One had to write a 2D stress analysis progam in one term as a project, and the next was a “design and build an automated device for opening a door controlled via ultra sound” - clever stuff. It also gave them the confidence to think along the lines “I don’t know about that topic – but I can find out”.
It sounds as though your current employer is a bit of a tool for you having to use up your annual leave to do a qualification, which I am assuming would be quite useful to them anyway (correct?). If that’s the case, in the long term you are best out of it.
Do the b eng route via the OU and then a masters as a full year out?
Have you been along to your local uni (or 2) and explained what your circumstances are? They LOVE having mature experienced students around in the classes. Knocks the corners off their crappy purely academic lecturers and some of the smart arse students straight off “A” levels. Even if they can’t help they may know someone who can.

Freshers week is for piss heads anyway.
an older more mature man around all those 18-21 year olds, jammy bd!

[Nickelson23]

I work in the industry you want to get into. If you want to know more feel free to drop me a PM. What sort of role are you after ? If you want a more hands on role with access to the towers (pylons) send me a message.

Have you seen these roles here - http://www.nationalgridcareers.com/Development-Opp...

Having a HNC will certainly get you a sniff into the assesments. I know NG are brilliant with allowing further training and education.

Good luck !

[Mr Pies]

Nickelson23 said:

I work in the industry you want to get into. If you want to know more feel free to drop me a PM. What sort of role are you after ? If you want a more hands on role with access to the towers (pylons) send me a message.

Have you seen these roles here - http://www.nationalgridcareers.com/Development-Opp...

Having a HNC will certainly get you a sniff into the assesments. I know NG are brilliant with allowing further training and education.

Good luck !

Hi Nickelson. Thanks for the kind offer. Working on the Towers is exactly what I am after! Can I drop you a pm later on tonight please? Its just I am at college at the moment and I dont have much time to send a PM.

As an aside, the job below is one I am seriously considering applying for.

http://ukcareers.nationalgrid.com/pages/job_search...

[Nickelson23]

Mr Pies said:

Hi Nickelson. Thanks for the kind offer. Working on the Towers is exactly what I am after! Can I drop you a pm later on tonight please? Its just I am at college at the moment and I dont have much time to send a PM.

As an aside, the job below is one I am seriously considering applying for.

http://ukcareers.nationalgrid.com/pages/job_search...

Yeah your fine to, I work for a company that maintains the OHL networks for National Grid. We are currently in the process of taking on some new linesmen to work on the systems. I know its not the level you initially want to go in at. But I am sure you can get sponsored by us to reach the level you want.

[Mr Pies]

Linesman is ideal for me. I'll pm you later. Much appreciated thanks.

[Mr Pies]

Nickelson23 said:

Yeah your fine to, I work for a company that maintains the OHL networks for National Grid. We are currently in the process of taking on some new linesmen to work on the systems. I know its not the level you initially want to go in at. But I am sure you can get sponsored by us to reach the level you want.

Pm'd.

[VB]

OP, you can get onto a Scheme with the Grid with your HNC/HND (or A Levels if you already have them). They will put you through your Degree course whilst holding a placement with them. The pay is excellent whilst training, you will also receive a car, accommodation (whilst at Uni) & IIRC a fuel allowance for travelling to University.

A good mate of mine has just completed this very course with the Grid & is working at one of the Substations in the SW. He's on here- WinstonG, send him a PM, or if you want, I can see if he can reply here.

HTH.

[Markp13]

Linesman is a good level to go into as it will give you a good hands on base to start from.

If you are a wee bit more adventurous however I know ScottishPower are interviewing for 11 SAP's just now with a further 30 or so to come.

Also remember if you want to work for national grid, you'll have to get used to not starting anything before 1pm and being in a quagmire of inefficiencies resulting in terminal brain fade.

Sorry, did I sound bitter there.....

[Mr Pies]

Markp13 said:

If you are a wee bit more adventurous however I know ScottishPower are interviewing for 11 SAP's just now with a further 30 or so to come.

Thanks for the info!

I am suffering brain fade in my current role. Do you have a link for those vacancies?

[Markp13]

I don't as I was told they tried alternative advertising this time and went down some rather unusual routes. Which ultimately resulted in inappropriate candidates.

I would imagine the ScottishPower website will be your friend though. Senior Project Engineer is the job title i would search for.

[rossw46]

You sound like me 3 ish years ago OP

I now work for NG,as a commissioning engineer,and have plenty of training to do yet before I can can be assessed for my ticket.

I have an HNC,which I did before joining NG,and I really enjoy working for them.

From my experience you do not need a "specific" degree.

[Mr Pies]

rossw46 said:

You sound like me 3 ish years ago OP

I now work for NG,as a commissioning engineer,and have plenty of training to do yet before I can can be assessed for my ticket.

I have an HNC,which I did before joining NG,and I really enjoy working for them.

From my experience you do not need a "specific" degree.

What were the interview questions like? I think my biggest problem is I have no HV experience.

[rossw46]

My interview for the commissioning job was about 2 and a half hours long,and was about 90% technical,ie explaining protection principles,drawing HV ops diagrams and associated CTs (current transformers) etc.The other 10% was made up of safety (such as HV switching) and general interview questions (why should you get this job?)...

I wouldn't say having no HV experience is going to stop you getting in,we've taken on a foundation engineer who had done an electricians course and then been working as a chef for a while.

A good start would be to get yourself some good books,a chap called Keith Harker does some good ones,pm me your email address if you want,and Ill forward you some stuff.

[Mr Pies]

Pm'd

[Mr Pies]

Nickelson23 said:

I work in the industry you want to get into. If you want to know more feel free to drop me a PM. What sort of role are you after ? If you want a more hands on role with access to the towers (pylons) send me a message.

Have you seen these roles here - http://www.nationalgridcareers.com/Development-Opp...

Having a HNC will certainly get you a sniff into the assesments. I know NG are brilliant with allowing further training and education.

Good luck !

YHM

[Nickelson23]

Mr Pies said:

YHM

Did you get anything back. Sorry I missed your mail. I believe they took 200 people down at Newton two weeks ago.