Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Careers in engineering – Live Q+A – Thursday 2 Dec – 12-2pm
Wednesday 1st December 2010, 9:45AM GMT.
This discussion has now finished. Read back through all of the advice in the comments section of this post.
“We are definitely in the business of making things – high-end manufacturing, aerospace, green technology, science-based businesses.
“We are not going to compete on the basis of cheap, low-cost, mass produced goods, but skills, science, engineering, aerospace, green-technology – the industries of the future.”
This is what David Cameron told us in an interview with the Shropshire Star and his words echo the need for skilled engineers in this country.
So if you need some advice on a career in engineering or are interested in retraining, learning new skills or how to move up the chain then leave your question for the discussion in the comments below.
Our experts will be online between 12 and 2pm on Thursday 2 December to answer all of your questions.
Our panel includes:
Rachel Eade, Head of MAS-WM Auto
With over thirteen years’ experience in automotive supply chain development, Rachel Eade is one of the most respected business support professionals in the UK.
In her role as Operations Manager of Accelerate and now as head of MAS-WM Auto, she has played a pivotal role in evolving the component support offer, which has assisted more than 5000 companies and safeguarded in excess of 65,000 jobs.
Dr Tarsem Singh Sihra, Principal Lecturer, Engineering and Technology, Wolverhampton University
Dr Tarsem Singh Sihra graduated with an Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering and has vast experience in the field of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
He joined the University of Wolverhampton in the year of 2001, where he now provides expertise in the Engineering and Technology department.
Louise Ebrey, GB Building Solutions
Louise has worked in the construction industry since graduating as an Civil Engineer in 1994 and has designed bridges, repaired houses with subsidence, maintained property on a large country house and worked on Heathrow Terminal 5.
She is currently the Business Improvement Manager for GB Building Solutions, where she concentrates on effective and efficient ways of working.
Jason Guy, Managing Director, First4Staff
Born in Wolverhampton, Jason started his career in recruitment in 1997 and has amassed over a decade of experience in various sectors, including industrial.
He became a founder director of First4Staff in 2001 and the company has since recieved ISO9001 and REC accreditation.
Malcolm Hindle, EEF, The Manufacturers’ Organisation
Malcolm is an apprentice-trained technical engineer who has held a number of training positions and is currently a programme leader managing a team of NVQ Monitoring Officers/Assessors.
For this, he looks after a number of learners nationally through their apprenticeship frameworks.
Tony Sartorius, Managing Director, Alucast
Tony Sartorius is the Managing Director of Wednesbury-based Alucast, a specialist in sand, gravity and high pressure aluminium castings.
The company serves a host of blue chip clients in the automotive, commercial vehicle and general engineering markets.
This discussion has now finished. Read back through all of the advice in the comments section of this post.
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Please leave questions for the experts in this comments section. They’ll be online from 12pm tomorrow to answer all questions.
I’d like to ask our panel what attracted them to working in engineering and to give a little bit of background about how they got to where they are today.
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Todd
I originally (aged about 12) decided to be an architect and then realised that my skills didn’t lie in that area. My fascination with buildings continued. I’m lucky enough to have a dad who’s a mechanical engineer and an uncle who ran the Civil Engineering division of a council – this meant that roles I may not have known about otherwise were pointed out to me much earlier than for most people.
The excitement of working on buildings, be they big or small, old or new still gets to me and one of the best things about the job for me is the feeling of “I built that!”
I’ve worked on repairs to houses and get the same feeling of pride driving past them as I do when I see the really big projects I’ve worked on
Louise
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Hi Todd, I have been in Recruitment and Employment now for 14 years and have run my own business for 10. The challenge for me of finding the right candidate for an engineering position far outweighs the buzz I get in finding somebody for clerical work. We work in the Industrial, Technical and Engineering sectors as well as Commercial, Driving and most recently Education. Jack of all trades maybe not, but we are certainly committed to finding the right person for each position in the disciplines that we specialise in. Recruitment is not a ‘one size fits all’ industry, especially within the Engineering sector. Jason
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There doesn’t seem to be much shortage of educated, trained and willing people. On the contrary, the biggest problem I’ve had is middle management especially those who only see targets, not people. Applying for umpteen jobs and degree level education, 5 years in the engineering industry..I feel like giving up. You adapt, you accept poverty wages and you travel further, and further..it never seems to be enough and I have come to the conclusion that the only option is to find work overseas, like so many do. This is a problem not just with engineering but with this country as a whole.
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Hi Todd,
This will take you back. I initially wanted to become an engineer because like most boys living around the clyde, I wanted to design and build ships.
I opted to do a degree in mechanical engineering, but sadly by the time I graduated there was not much ship building left.
In some ways I was extremely fortunate in that I had studied Mechanical Engineering. It’s broad nature meant that I could seek employment in other Industrial sectors. Over time I have worked in he oil, aerospace and automotive sectors before becoming an academic.
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I would like to ask the panel in they opinion, which of the areas of engineering will amerge in the next 10 – 20 years. That will give the best opportunities for people starting out in the industry or wishing to choose a career in engineering
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Low carbon manufacturing, both in terms of process and resource efficency along with new product ie light weight and new materials will offer a host of new opportunties for engineers and designers over the next 10 years. Fuel efficency and new fuels will be imortant in all aspect of life especially in future vehicles, battery development and hydrogen are areas of development currently with new sources to be identified and exploited.
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Hi David, Good question!, from my perspective as the world is rapidly becoming a ‘greener’ place, that tends to be the area that engineering is leaning towards .. especially in terms of the reduction of our carbon footprint!
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Clearly, engineering related to technologies that will ease the pressure on our environment will be the popular thing.
I think mechanical, automotive and aerospace
engineering will still be about. Biomedical engineering is an area that perhaps you don’t think of straightaway when you think of engineering, but this is likley to be a growth area.
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I will be starting A Levels next year and was wondering if I should already be looking to concentrate on studying a particular area of engineering in order to be more employable further down the line?
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Paul – I agree with Rachels’s comments on the question above How.ever I’d add – Is there a type of engineering you feel passionate about or have a real interest in? If there is, this goes a long way in helping you through your studies and getting a job at the end
Louise
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Paul, i think i would keep your options open, try and be a broad as possible with your subjects which will cover a range of areas i.e. generic qualifications – maths, english, science etc. Gaining employment and working in the industry may give you a better insight and knowledge of the specific area of engineering you would like to concentrate on.
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Yes don’t narrow yourself down too much at A level stage. But do find out what the requirements are for the degrees or careers you are thinking about. For instance A level maths may be a prerequiste.
It’s a balance at this stage between keeping your options open and focusing in on the subjects which interest you
Louise
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Paul, I echo the other experts comments and it is best to study A-levels that firstly are of interest to you and secondly are broadly recognised as you may still not be too clear at this stage as to exactly which Engineering discipline you will be looking to venture into.
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Hi Paul,
If you are interested in pursuing a career in professional engineering, you will need to study maths and physics.
However, when you get on to the degree, you will note that while a range of options exist such as aerospace, mechainical,civil, etc, these will in the early years broaden your subject knowledge. There tends to be common units you study irrespective of what engineering course you have opted for.
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Welcome to this live Q+A on careers in engineering. Our panel of experts are now online and waiting to answer your questions.
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We certainly are!!
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I am considering an engineering career but can’t decide whether to go for a degree or to get an apprenticeship. What does the panel recommend?
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James
Do you prefer practical or academic work?
Apprenticeships in construction will help you to learn a trade and help you develop the practical skills. On the design side they will lead to technicians roles and the potential to advance through part time studies.
Degrees will take you three or four years before you graduate and will take you in at a different level. This would be the route if you wanted a career as an engineer
Louise
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I think I’m probably more of an academic type or person. What do you mean when you say in at a different level? So if I do a degree then I might be able to start higher up?
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You’ll be doing a different type of work (at least in construction.
When I went into design I started by doing things like design calculations an drawing work for a chartered engineer. As my skills developed I was given more and more responsibility and may be able to specialise. Until you are chartered the design work will ultinately be the responsibility of a Chartered Engineer.
If you want to work for a construction company, you are likely to start out on site doing things like setting out.
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James, a number of employers who offer apprenticeships also sponsor them after their apprenticeship through the appropriate degree which meets both the employer and the learners requirements going forwards. So when applying for apprenticeships this is a key question to ask. The apprenticeship gives you industry and hands on experience which stands you in good sted through a degree course as you have practical and applied knowledge which can be used on your course.
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Hi James, as an apprenticeship is more ‘hands-on’ it depends whether you are more studious and academically biased or willing to climb up the ladder in a more work-based role. It is individual choice James and as the world of engineering is so diverse there is no set-path it comes down to whichever suits you personally, there are benefits to both. Good luck!
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Hi James,
There are benefits of doing an apprenticeship, namely that you will get an insight to the industry. I think to design things ( innovation bit) you need an appreciation of how things are made and something like an apprenticeship is good for this.
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I’d like to ask Louise if she could explain a little more about her situation, as she is now a Business Improvement Manager. How did your engineering background help you to get a different role like that and what skills do you still use?
To open it up to the panel a bit, what transferable skills do you think that those working in engineering have and what kind of non-engineering roles might these apply to?
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Transferable skills are important in all industries and Engineering is no different. From a Recruitment perspective, when the manufacturing industry took a hit it equated for 45% of our revenue. We had to act fast, we recruited an Education specialist who developed our Education Division which now accounts for 40% of our total revenue and the principles and skills that we used in matching candidates to positions were virtually the same. As for Engineering, the obvious transferable skills are attention to detail and a methodical and meticulous approach.
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Hi Todd
I did a Civil Engineering degree and was lucky enough to get summer holiday work with a County Council while I did it.
I then did a variety of engineering jobs including brdige design, working on domestic subsidence claims, contracts management for a country estate which included repairs and refurb of old buildings.
9 years ago I went to work on Terminal 5 Heathrow as a planner. I loved the project, but the role didn’t suit me and I got involved in the Lean Construction implementation there.
I now work on developing processes and strategies for effective and efficent working and also helping people develop the right skills to do this themselves.
The work is quite different, but the anaylitical skills are very useful for me. it also helps to have a background in the industry as I understand what people really mean when they talk about things.
I think Engineering is a great background to have as you can continue in that vein if you want or branch out into lots of other areas as well
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Todd,
Engineers tend to have the following transferable skills:
numeracy, problem solving, team working, computer literacy and written/verbal communication.
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This question links to Rachel’s point below about other roles in the industy. Tarsem’s list is good and you can apply it to a lot of the non engineering roles in the industry – some of them may need additional knowledge, but the skills will get you a long way
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How do you choose to hire a person and what should I do to impress in an interview? Is there anythin different from a normal interview that I need to know?
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Wolf
the key thing I look for when recruiting is Pssion, if some one can demonstrate that they are genuinely interested in the role and are williing to learn and work hard, they will always have the edge over other candidates.
So research the role, the company, competitors, relevant news stories, new products, awards etc and show them youreally want to work with them, learn and be successful
Rachel
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…..this is where my expertise lies! The strategy is simple: Firstly, set yourself a target, from my initial covering letter I want an interview, from the first interview I want a second interview, from the second interview I want the job! If you visit our website http://www.first4staff.net and go to the download area there is a PDF on interview techniques and CV tips. In brief, you need a simple CV that sells you, alter your CV for each position, drop the photo! .. and at the interview, research the company, prepare questions, good eye contact and a firm handshake… that could clinch it!!
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Todd
to widen the discussion…. there are a wide range of careers in engineering and manufacturing companies ie sales, marketing, finance and IT applications that all require an understanding of engineering and are vital to the future of the industry. We often forget theat anything that is manufactured has to be designed and tested and will involve the use of IT in its production. All these are transferable skills and can be applied in the manufacturing sector. Personal skills of communication, teamworking, leadership are transferable and good to demostrate to potential employeers.
Rachel
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To elaborate on Rachel’s thoughts’ we employe project managers, quanity surveyors, bid managers, marketing people, HR, IT, lawyers, Health and Saftey people etc etc
These are roles you can go into at different times in your career, from school, with a degree or later in your career.
So if the first job you take in the industry doens’t work for you, there probabaly is a niche you’ll fit just right!
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Alucast is a medium sized aluminium component manfacturer which has developed a niche in the supply complex machined aluminium components.
There is very little practical training available at colleges in the region for newcomers to the industry, which could offer sand moulding, gravity die casting and associated training. The Birmingham and Black Country area still has many foundries but with the closure of the foundry colleges courses (Wednesbury and West Bromwich)only distance learning is available, which is not ideal. If we are to compete in the European and World market place in this field this issue needs to be addressed. Any ideas? Tony Sarorius MD Alucast.
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Great point Tony and i Think that in this particular region the marketplace would benefit with foundry courses being readily available. I think that if the government is serious in building the manufacturing area of Britain this is just one particular area that needs to be addressed and looked at. Jason
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Tony, i totally agree with your comments and sympathise. Over the years the number of apprentices within the sector have reduced which impacted on the provision available either through the college network or through work based learning providers. It would need a number of like minded employers to come together and maybe utilise their current skills and knowledge by offering inhouse training to the sector for example in other sectors where provision is very limited or unappropriate, some employers have developed their own inhouse academy of training which is credited against national standards with their own employee trainers/assessors. These academies also make links with local schools to encourage young people into the sector and raise the profile of the business.
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Tony
I agree ! Skills at all levels from apprentices to technical and the issue of an ageing workforce/attraction of young people to industry were all topics we discussed with a Goverment Select Committee enquiry into Govenment support for industry, led by Adrian Bailey, West Bromwich MP, yesterday in Birmingham. They listened and recognised the problems but there appears to be no easy solution
Rachel
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A question to you Tony, as an employer, would you use the services of a Recruitment Agency to recruit Engineering graduates through?
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In answer to your general question, yes we have used agencies. We have also used other areas for recruitment as well such as the net, the Job Centre and newspaper advertising. Being a fairly small company with a limited number of senior positions, our issue is the recruiment of suitably experienced, shopfloor manual personnel. Alucast as is a member of MAN, the old Midland Assebly Network, which consists of 10 engineering businesses that work together to develop their businesses. There is no doubt that many of us do have an ageing workforce profile, as Rachel will know.
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Hi Tony, our temporary supply workforce is predominantly made up of manual shop floor personnel so we understand the demands of todays environment within a company of your size. An ageing workforce will always be an issue at a company with your specialisms as unfortunately its not a ‘young mans game’ in as much as your people are time served and it is a rather niche industry in todays marketplace. Feel free to consider us for any vacancies, we have offices in Cannock and Wolverhampton!
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Tony,
I think you raise a valid point, in that there will be a lot of companies out there who will rely on conventional processes to make things.
Sadly, there has been a trend which continues to be present in that education and training providers shy away from providing courses related to these types of processes.
Don’t really know what the solution is, but agree that something needs to be done. At a shop floor level, I think replacing these skills pose a challenge to companies like yourself.
I suppose you end up taking talented school leavers that are practically minded and teach them all you know about the industry.
Do you think there is scope for canvessing other companies in a similar predicament like yourself with a view of developing a talored qualification aimed at the shop floor?. When I reflect on what is out there – HNC manufacturing – this would not cover your requirements.
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Tarsem-
Thanks for your observations and I think you have hit on a good point. From a practical standpoint John Swift, our Group Operations Director and I, have taken the view that we will train in-house for the practical skills needed to be a caster, moulder or dresser. These are manual jobs, but with the additional benefit of theoretical training in casting technology and processes, I think we could accelerate the overall achievement of gaining world class performance.
Also, I do have dialogue with the Cast Metals Federation, in West Bromwich and there are like minded people there. If I am to develop it further I need the input from other engineering companies in the same sector. Having said that ‘local’ is still important in my mind.
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Jason makes an interesting point in response to David Johnson’s question (number 2) about the world becoming a greener place and engineering trying to reduce its carbon footprint.
I wonder what the rest of the panel think about this – how much of engineering is now about becoming greener and is this a trend that will continue to grow?
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It’s certainly someting the construction companies are interested in and there are new roles opening up all the time.
Developing greener products is one area. Another is helping people to chose the right product for their project. this can involve working with the cleints and the construction teams.
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Hi Todd,
I think the environment is a key issue which will continue to pose the challenges in engineering ahead.
From a mechanical perspective, anything that produces power, whether it be an internal combustion engine or a gas turbine will provide scope for further redesign, at least in the short term. If we reflect on the improvements that have been made over the past 15 years these are immense in comparsion when the technology was first launched.
The hydrogen fuel cell will provide an alternative form of energy which by its very nature is more environmental friendly.
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Todd
reducing carbon footprint is becoming more of a priority – politicall, socially and financially. I think we will see big changes in energy use, alternative energy sources ( I know companies investing in solar panels to heat water, systems to recyle heat and water etc). Manufacturing uses large amounts of energy and price and secutity/availability of supply are becoming hot topics.
Large companies are begining to introduce enviromental requirements on their suppliers, these can be demonstraing they have environmental qualification ISO 14001, or are managing their waste, their logistics and minimsing their mileage – even training their drivers in fuel reduction driving techniques.
I think greem manufacturing is here to stay and we will need to be creative/efficent in our use of resources.
Rachel
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Would any graduates considering using a Recruitment Agency to find them suitable employment? …if not, why not? I will dispell all myths!
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Hi Jason,
I’m going off-topic a little here as I’m no engineer (I’ll slap my own wrists) but as a journalism graduate I was always a little cautious of using recruitment agencies.
I always assumed that there wouldn’t be much relevant to me and that, because the company would have to pay more, that the better jobs wouldn’t be filled in this way. Also, I wasn’t that fussed about working in a particular location and I always saw recruitment agencies as being more specific to a region?
I don’t know if this is similar in the engineering sector, but feel free to dispel my own myths!
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Hi Todd…right here goes!
Recruitment Agencies do not just do ‘temporary jobs’ that nobody else wants to do, recently we have recruited a Mechanical Engineer for a huge worldwide car component manufacturer paying a salary of 35k and a Production Engineer at a medical equipment manufacturer paying 37k! I can appreciate your cautiousness but although the Copmany would have to pay more, the premium covers the advertising of the vacancy, interviewing time, the agency also absorbs the employers ni. and holiday pay costs, so in essence the employer saves time and money… and ends up with the right candidate! They only pay for the people that they employ! They dont have to trawl through hundreds of CVs, tens of interviews, the agency (if they are doing their job) will simply submit the candidate of the right person for the job!
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I think you’ve hit it spot on there – the thoughts that I had was that a recruitment agency would be mostly ‘temporary jobs’ when I first graduated so I concentrated on applying directly.
I wonder whether many other graduates think that way too? I don’t really know.
Since then though I’ve definitely changed my opinion of recruitment agencies (working on the careers section of this website has certainly helped!)
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I was very interested question regarding the development of greener technologies. It’s probably not widely know but my industry, aluminium casting, re-uses recycled aluminium as the major raw material. Also, as a supplier into the automotive industry, aluminium offers weight savings in car weight as an alternative to cast iron and steel, this radically helps with fuel efficiency in cars. Additionally, we are supplying widely into the vacuum market, which produces the right environment for the manufacture if solar panels, all part of the renewable energy market. Alucast has has moved into some of the areas in the last few years and it forms a significant segment of the business. This is certainly an area of activity in engineering that will grow rapidly as the technologies are developed.
Tony Sartorius
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That in itself is a great platform to be able to attract training programmes specifically geared toward your industry. As the world continues to change and fuel efficiency and the use of recyclable materials become paramount I am sure that this in an area of engineering that will develop and prosper.
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Don’t forget to check out the discussion running concurrently to this one over at shropshirestar.com.
We’re talking about the lack of women in engineering and the importance of work placements over there. Take a look!
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In todays world of equal opportunity and political correctness, I am amazed that only 1 in 10 graduates are female when we having women refereeing and running the line at a professional football match! This is the 21st century, Engineering will suffer if this trend continues, this needs to be recognised as a great opportunity for all and not an industry dominated by one sex.
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I’d be interested to know what the young women of today need to know to encourage them into engineering and what those of us who have been here for a while can do to help?
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What do you think about doing a masters? They do one at my uni (I’m doing mechanical engineering) and I’m thinking of doing it after I finish my degree. What do employers think about it?
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I didn’t do a Masters and didn’t miss it. My collegue did a Civil Engineering Masters and a Doctorate in Systems Thinking and wouldn’t change it for the world.
I think a big part of the decision is indvidual and depends on your interests and appetite for study.
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I agree with Louise Steve, it really is down to the individual. As engineering is such a diverse and wide area there is no set path and it will be best to choose what suits your personally, you need to enjoy it too…its a long road!!
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Our 2 largest clients are british based manufacturers in which we supply over 40 staff to each per week. What lies in the future for manufacturing in Britain?
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It is now 2pm and this discussion is now closed
A massive thank you to all of our experts for agreeing to take part and all their great advice today. We hope that you’ve enjoyed it and check out Express & Star Careers for more advice.
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Great to be involved, some very good questions and great responses from the experts on the panel. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Jason
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I just have to draw a comparison here. When a British Engineering graduate leaves a black Country University..what awaits them? When a time-served, experienced and willing Engineering professional is made redundant in this country..what awaits them? Now compare that with some half-witted brat from an American University, full of answers and devoid of solutions. Why do people think British graduates are still highly-rated? Because they have to work harder for less. I have become so disillusioned with Engineering, in particular this region of the country. We’re told to re-train, so we do that, and end up knee-deep in debt. Same for trying to start up your own enterprise. It’s a terrible, unrewarding state of affairs when we have a pool of resource that ends up on New Deal and through no fault of their own.
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