Automotive Designers - Advice needed

[Bazza 2174]

My friend's son is in his first year of A levels and is studying Physics, Geography and Graphics. He's absolutely determined to help design cars for a living and wants some guidance on what course he should take at University.

Does anybody have any ideas? He's seen courses for automotive design but would an apprenticeship be better if I could land one?

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

[SydneyBridge]

https://www.coventry.ac.uk/course-structure/UG/201...

With a placement year


Or..

https://careersatnissan.co.uk/job/design-developme...

Edited by SydneyBridge on Monday 9th July 18:59

[gkw90]

Hey there,

I work within Automotive Design/Engineering for an OEM. If it is the engineering aspect of automotive design (as opposed to the concept visual stuff that's of a more artistic skillset), then a good mechanical/automotive/motorsport engineering course, with potential module options to vehicle design would be ideal. Coventry, Hertford, Loughborough etc.

CAD skills in design are of course essential, a university that uses ProE, Catia V5 or NX is desirable, as these are the main systems used.

A good placement year is also recommended, as it gets your foot in the door with potential employers early on. I'd recommend an MEng or MSc as it pushes your study to a higher level.

To be a good automotive designer requires a good knowledge of general engineering principles, like any engineer. What area does he want to work in? Of course, being so young there is plenty of time to decide, so not being specialised from the start can help. I qualified with a MEng in Motorsport Engineering, and am now working in interiors for an OEM, so there's always opportunities provided your skillset is of good quality and transferable.

Any other questions, feel free to message (if it works), or on here. There are some other people on this site with far greater experience than I.

[Gio G]

My son starts his second year of automotive and transport design in Coventry. I know it can be studied in Wales also, however Coventry clearly has ties with the right manufacturers. I believe there has been a big influx of students in this area with many lacking free flow/sketching design skills on paper and heavily rely on computer aided applications, which tutors do not like so much.

Feel free to PM me, as my son can provide more in depth advice.

G

[boyse7en]

I did the Coventry University Automotive Design course back in the 1990s. At the time it was the only realistic specialist course for an industrial design course with a leaning to transportation.

My peers with enough skill and money went on to do an MA in vehicle design at the RCA in London

[IrateNinja]

An area not mentioned yet, and as you have been very broad with your question I think it's worth bringing up electric vehicles. Every manufacturer is now doing their own development of the drivetrain, plus there's the autosport side as well. Therefore, an electrical engineering course could be of worth doing if that's something which interests them. Companies like Dyson are looking to push into this market as well.

[WolfieBot]

Needs to be clear whether it's mechanical design, or prototype / artistic design.

Two very different subjects.