Engineering Graduate Careers For A Brighter Future...
The word Engineer covers a very wide range of disciplines. Should you fancy yourself as an aeronautical or automotive engineer, you're probably hoping to stretch yourself technically and logically.
Great Britain is renowned for its aeronautical engineering excellence, and its aerospace industry turns over many billions of pounds every year. In addition, the auto industry also has a global influence, not least from a design and development point of view.
Finding The Right Training Courses
There are approximately 32 UK Universities providing Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering Degrees in Automotive or Aeronautical Engineering. Engineering graduates can also choose to take post-graduate qualifications. At a lower level, vocational training can be found up and down the country. The option of a one year placement in industry is available with most university degree courses, and most students choose to take this between the second and final year.
Sandwich courses can also be available on certain training programmes. Equally, it's also possible for some students to arrange sponsorship (for example from the Army) if they're prepared to commit to them after training. It's important to take your time and really explore all the different training possibilities that are available.
Engineering - Automotive
Automotive engineering has come a long way in the last hundred years. Today's auto engineers need to understand electronic and software engineering as well as mechanical and electrical. There's a lot to take on board, and new technologies are being developed all the time - often to deal with government environmental standards.
Generally speaking, we can separate the automotive engineering processes into three distinct fields. First comes design. These engineers have to design all the component parts and systems on a vehicle. Next come the development engineers. They are concerned with the interactions of all the systems. Designers sometimes need developers to specify criteria for their designs. With all the design and development work complete, the manufacturing engineers have to build the vehicle.
Auto engineering courses are very in-depth, and mastering the detail will take time and experience. Subjects will include performance, ergonomics, emissions, fuel economy, aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics to name but a few. Auto engineers must be fully conversant with safety engineering - so tests are done for example to check resistance to rollover, seat belt and air bag functionality and front and side crash impacts.
As well as performing well by themselves, each component and system has to work in synergy with everything else. And so training must include elements of development engineering. Sometimes systems or components have conflicting aims, and a trade-off has to be made to deliver both satisfactorily. Development engineering is also concerned with testing and ensuring the finished vehicle will comply with legal requirements.
The next stage of course is to work on the manufacture of the vehicle. Manufacturing engineers need to learn how to plan and engineer both the individual parts and the whole vehicle assembly. This work includes project management of tools, machines, people and safety procedures.
Aeronautical-Engineering
Aeronautical engineers are involved in the research, design, manufacture and maintenance of all forms of aircraft. Those who study aeronautical engineering should be able to challenge conventional thinking.
The aerospace industry needs people who are technical, analytical and lateral, who can also work well with others. (Some aerospace engineers go into Formula One design and development as well.)
Contemporary flight vehicles must endure very severe conditions such as differences in temperature and atmospheric pressure. Consequently the building of an aircraft will take many engineering disciplines and aeronautical engineers will all deal in specialist technologies.
Students will use software to learn about design and the layout of essential aeronautical systems. All studies will focus on analytical concepts. Analytical subjects like thermodynamics are usually taught through lectures and tutorials.
Computational fluid dynamics is used to simulate the behaviour of fluid today, which reduces wind-tunnel testing time and expense. All the same, students shouldn't miss out on aeronautical projects that carry out tests in wind tunnels.
When training to be an engineer you need a lot of practical design experience. Whichever programme you choose to follow, as a student engineer you will be involved with a major group design project at some time throughout your training. Aeronautical and Automotive Student Engineers are often also taught a variety of soft skills that will be useful for their career. Such areas as time-management, writing skills and presenting can all help at interview.
The aerospace industry provides excellent career development into a variety of technical and managerial roles. Completing an accredited engineering degree course will allow you to obtain the status of a professional Incorporated Engineer or Chartered Engineer.
