Hello – Uni or apprenticeship

[Christine McNeilParticipant @christinemcneil64071]

Hi everyone.

Ive signed up to get some advice. I want to go into mechanical engineering or engineering of some sort. Lecturers advised to sign up to a forum so I chose this one.

Any insight or possibilities would be most welcome from anyone's experience on here.

I look forward to some replies or DMs whatever is easier. Thank you all in advance.

Christine x

[Christine McNeilParticipant @christinemcneil64071]

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your choice of career. I do know that engineering apprenticeships in decent companies are available although competition is very high. My own view as a parent is that going to university can be a great experience and you are only young once. What sort of thing are you interested in?

[Adrian R2Participant @adrianr2]

My son looked at the Dyson Institute scheme – they offer a half and half so you get your degree while working. In the end he decided not to apply but worth considering. Otherwise also research sponsored degrees, typically here you work for the company during holidays and they cover your fees and give you a job offer on graduation. A friends daughter is doing one in IT. The application process was quite lengthy but she is enjoying it now.

[Bill Davies 2Participant @billdavies2]

Hi, Christine, and welcome.

I think your decision will come down to how near you want to get to the practical aspects of mechanical engineering, and also the size of organisation you see yourself working for. It also is affected by whether you want a full-time or part-time course, be employed or sponsored, or pay course fees.

Following a degree course will provide you with skills to go into design, then progression into customer facing or management roles.

If you take an apprenticeship, depending upon your prior qualifications, could lead you into technician level part time Certificate or Diploma level courses, which supplement what you would learn in your workplace. Diplomas may tend to be full time courses. There are two levels, (Ordinary) National Certificate or Diploma and Higher National Certificate or Diploma (ONC/D, HNC/D).

If you seek practical wokshop skills, you may follow the ONC route or take a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) which assess what is learned in the workplace, where your competence is certified by internal and external assessors.

You can search on these abbreviations to find more info, but note that Scotland and Northern Irelands qualifications differ in their details from England, I'm not sure whether Wales offer their own.

If you can add more info, it's possible we could offer more focussed advice. This is without adding that mechanical engineering covers general engineering, aeronautical, motor vehicle and many other specialised fields, for which the units you would study may differ.

Good luck,

Bill

[Christine McNeilParticipant @christinemcneil64071]

Thank you for the quick replies I appreciate it 🙂 Aeronautical engineering sounds interesting to me. Would it be good for me to contact companies like Airbus, RollsRoyce or British Airways to see if they have a graduate or type of training scheme?

My friends are not STEM but I love science. They also say I don't look like the engineering type but what do they know 🙂

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

the route depends on your academic qualifications – good A levels will get you into most Engineering though for some you are looking at needing very good marks – suggest a look at the relevant institution web site eg mine being Electrical is the MIET but the mechanicals and the civils have similar organisations – their society mag will often have articles written by or about those on various entry courses eg E&T June 2022 has a article re a young woman doing a degree apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce Aerospace – they can give you up to date advice on options open to you – if you are not too sure what you want to do then some Universities/Colleges offer a 4 year course with a more general 1st year.

If you are near London you could drop into their Institution and ask.

Edited By Frances IoM on 26/05/2022 15:46:26

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Welcome Christine, you have come to the right place for advice, there are many highly qualified people on here. It really will depend on what type or field of engineering you want to go into and wether you want to be practical or theoretical. An apprenticeship will be practical, whereas uni will give much theory and if the number of uni machine tools sold is anything to go by not much practice. Good Luck for the future in what ever you decide on. Noel.

[Ketan SwaliParticipant @ketanswali79440]

Hello Christine,

Here is an example of current apprenticeships at RR.. submarines related, rather than aeronautical..

**LINK**

Ketan at ARC

[Christine McNeilParticipant @christinemcneil64071]

Looks like I've come to the right place. I guess this forum will give me insights into all types of engineering? From what you guys say I'm going to get in touch with Rolls-Royce to see if they can send me some information on their training schemes.

I'm grateful for all this feedback I didn't expect this so it's making my day 🙂

Christine x

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

The idea that women can't be engineers is total poppycock. Your careers person should be able to help you find companies who offer apprenticeships, there are a lot more companies in aerospace than the ones you have above. Apprenticeships nowadays are not second fiddle to a degree, they can be part of the route to a degree. I wish I'd been better advised when I started, I'd have tried to get on a sandwich course rather than straight from school to university. That way you get the best of both worlds, shop floor experience (which is extremely useful even if you're destined for design/management) and a knowledge of why the arcane maths stuff they teach you can actually be useful now and again.

Have a look at IMechE and this for starters. Another route is via the services, if you're into things that fly then RAF

Best of luck, we need lots more people who actually make things, and there are jobs galore in the field. Not as well paid as in the financial sector, but at least you'll be able to have some pride in what you do.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Like Frances IOM I am an IET Member (retired), being an electrical I have worked in electronics, aviation, computer, broadcasting and medical companies, a wide choice of opportunities. The same could well apply with the other major Engineering Institutions.

Good advice as given, start with the vatious professional institutions and then work your way to what companies in those fields can offer for you to start.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

I have 3 children all with degrees, my son came out the best financially as he did an electronics engineering apprenticeship & was then sponsored by his company to go through uni whilst working, takes longer but no debt! He has a first class degree in electronics engineering so not a 'soft subject' by any means.

Tony

[Iain DownsParticipant @iaindowns78295]

One of my son's friends is doing an Aerospace degree in Liverpool and seems to be enjoying it. Of particular note for me is that they have on day a week actually in a workshop making things.

Perhaps that would be a good compromise.

Iain

[AStroudParticipant @astroud]

You may aspire to becoming a Chartered Engineer and a member of the M.I.Mech.E , be good to check with them the entry requirements.

Andrew

[Christine McNeilParticipant @christinemcneil64071]

A degree with some hands on experience would be amazing. I just need to make sure I pick the right area of engineering I'd enjoy. It's so vast 🤯

Christine x

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

see if you can get a relevant summer vacation job – depends very much where you live as the various hi-tech companies tend to be in the same area – sometimes it is worth taking a year out pre University/College but get advice from those who know the relevant job area.

[JAParticipant @ja]

Christine

Really, the world is you oyster.

If you are good at your job the route you take now will make little difference in twenty years time. The major differences are that an apprenticeship will give you some hands on experience while university may not and that university will cost you money. If you are any good a good employer would usually send you to university. A number of my collegues who had done ordinary apprenticeships were sent to university, in some cases straight onto post graduate degrees.

I think I would have interviews with a few major engineering companies and see what they say and offer.

Unless you become highly specialised you should end up with transferable skills and knowledge.

All the best for the future

JA

Just seen Frances's last posting.

An internship allows you to have a look and get noticed. Most companies will pay you during the internship. My niece was paid the average national wage by RR during her summer vacation from university ten years ago. We even had a person in the office for six months on a pre-university internship. I should say she was not in the way and made a useful contribution.

Edited By JA on 26/05/2022 16:54:09

Edited By JA on 26/05/2022 16:55:37

[Christine McNeilParticipant @christinemcneil64071]

Lots of options to consider I guess. I'm no good at interviews I get nervous and muddle things up but I guess the practice would be good for me 🙂

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Christine, my academic skills in school were at the low end, whereas my practical skills were at the very top, so my own choice was easy, no good me going to Uni so hands on tools as an apprenticeship was my choice and I've never regretted it. No harm in seeking out ideal companies to work for though, but you need to learn exactly what they are about, i.e. research them in advance and have a good idea what they really do.

When I was at school and had to start thinking about what job I wanted, I like many of my peers was interested in being a motor mechanic, but my farther had the insight to see that they would become very common (often known as ten a penny) and he was right and I went into industrial maintenance and found that was the right path for me.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 26/05/2022 17:14:56

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Posted by Christine McNeil on 26/05/2022 16:20:08:

A degree with some hands on experience would be amazing. I just need to make sure I pick the right area of engineering I'd enjoy. It's so vast 🤯

Christine x

If you go the university route then some have a common first year, then you can choose which branch when you know a bit more about it. I can't see why a degree apprenticeship would preclude this

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

Power companies, rail companies, defence, car industry, oil, aerospace are all places to consider. I think it can really help if you have some related hobby to talk about in any interview – bikes, cars, robotics, model engineering, trains – if you can say 'i love messing about with my bike or I volunteer at X every holiday' – it can make you stand out, it's not just about exam results

[Ches Green UKParticipant @chesgreenuk]

Hi Christine,

I just need to make sure I pick the right area of engineering I'd enjoy. It's so vast

It certainly is, but the good thing about STEM careers is there is opportunity to move sideaways and then upwards if, after a few years, you find you are more interested in a slightly different branch.

Hands-on experience is good, both for your CV and your own capabilities. Maybe you already have your own home workshop, or have 2D/3D CAD/CAM sofware and a 3D printer at home. Both will stand you in good stead.

I think the main thing is to get your 'foot in the door' with a large'ish company (more likely to have different branches of engineering in-house), get a feel for the engineering world and then plan your career. Be prepared to make changes to the 'plan' as your knowledge, career ambitions and financials needs grow.

All the best,

Ches

[Christine McNeilParticipant @christinemcneil64071]

Hmm. I've helped my neighbour out with his model railway and learned a bit about controllers and Arduino boards. That's about it. I doubt they'd want to hear about my likes with fashion or my fashion portfolio I've kept as a hobby.

I don't mind doing a bit of volunteer work at an engineering firm over the summer even if it's just to get a taster. I won't try taking the car apart 😳😂 I'd break it or cause a car crash.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, don't under estimate what a company may think a of your choice of hobbies, they would probably be more interested if you can show that you have interests rather than just sitting watching.

Regards Nick.

[Author]

Posts