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A Career In Mechanical Engineering

Engineering affects every aspect of human activity – work, leisure, health and education. Engineers are involved in the design and manufacture of almost everything, from cars to computers, from web pages to wings, from microchips to motorways.

Training as a mechanical engineer will lead you into one of the broadest areas of engineering. Mechanical engineers are expected to constantly improve, re-design and invent equipment, not just maintain and process. As a mechanical engineer you could become employed in a design, manufacture, research, development, management or marketing role.

Standards for the education, training and professional development of all engineers in the UK have been considerably revised in recent years to ensure qualifications remain on a par with the best internationally, and meet the changing needs of commercial and industrial markets. Today the focus is on gaining practical experience as well as academic achievements.

The entry requirement for mechanical engineering degree courses is normally five G.C.S.E.s at grade C or above including maths and English, and in most cases a science subject, and three high grade ‘A’ levels in maths, physics/physical sciences and one other subject.

There are many universities offering degrees in mechanical engineering and there is a wide variation in the type of courses and specialisms offered within these degrees, so it is a good idea to check the prospectuses carefully before applying. It is possible to do joint honours with a range of other subjects in both science and the arts, including business and language courses. It is important that you ensure your degree is an accredited course recognised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). There are three-year courses which lead to a BEng qualification and four-year courses leading to an MEng qualification. There are also sandwich courses available that include a year spent in industry gaining practical work experience.

In order to become a professional engineer you will need to gain either a BEng or MEng and then progress your work experience (and in some cases learning experience) in order to become an a Chartered Engineer (CEng) or an Incorporated Engineer (IEng).

Becoming a CEng or IEng is key to building a successful career in mechanical engineering as registration is an endorsement of your skills, competence and professionalism. It also demonstrates a serious, long-term commitment to your career.

o Recognise your professional competence - helps you maintain personal marketability in the highly competitive work marketplace.

o Improve your employment opportunities – provides employers with independent validation of your education, training and professionalism.

o Higher earning potential – employers know that professional engineers will be valuable employees and will reward them accordingly.

o Recognition of professional competence, UK and worldwide – opportunities for professional engineers to work abroad have never been better.

o Life long professional development – as a learned society, IMechE encourages you to continue your professional development throughout your career.

The IMechE aims to actively seek, educate and inform society of the benefits of mechanical engineering. For IMechE members registered on an accredited mechanical engineering course in the UK, there are a number of financial incentives (very important to students!) to make life at University easier. These range from undergraduate development funds, overseas study awards, hardship awards, postgraduate development funds and research awards.

Markus Dyson, a graduate in mechanical & offshore engineering and the Chairman of the IMechE Young Members Board, tells his story:

As I was unsure of what careers would be suited to the maths and science subjects I was taking at school, I looked at every University prospectus there was. Engineering stood out as an obvious choice as it not only required these disciplines for entry but also applied them practically in courses that were geared up for a job in a hugely diverse industry.

Choosing a mechanical & offshore engineering degree was easy as I live in Aberdeen, the oil & gas capital of Europe, and the course offered a variety of interesting subjects for study. Not only was pure engineering covered, but also business, management and a great deal of practical experience over my 4 years at University.

Upon graduation I entered the oil & gas industry and specialised in operations & maintenance. Not as glamorous as designing Formula 1 cars, but I soon found that the career paths open to enthusiastic young engineers was limitless, and the salaries weren’t bad either!

I will always be a mechanical engineer first and foremost, but my job at Halliburton entails a lot more, including designing process systems, ensuring that offshore operations are carried out safely and effectively, managing projects and spending time with our company accountants explaining gas prices and profit margins!

Engineers can and should climb the corporate ladder, as the industry needs effective managers and leaders to ensure that the profession flourishes in the competitive modern climate. My role as Chairman of the IMechE Young Members Board is to ensure that young members and our views are represented in the Institution so that it can provide the necessary support to young talented mechanical engineers, and keep us in these well paid jobs!

For further information about a career in mechanical engineering, including lists of accredited courses and job profiles, please visit http://www.imeche.org.uk.

You can also contact the IMechE Membership Applications Team on tel: 01284 718 690 or email: membership@imeche.org.uk   Send to a friend