Apprenticeships: Engineering
If you look up ‘Boring’ in the Yellow Pages, it says ‘See Engineering’. It’s an old joke, and an unfair one. Engineers do far more than just dig boreholes, and their work is far from dull.
Ever wondered why the building you’re in doesn’t collapse? How trains go underneath the Channel? What makes your iPod sing? Why planes don’t fall out of the sky? How you can pick up the phone and talk to someone in Australia?
Yep, somewhere behind it all, there’s an engineer, rubbing their hands with glee and shouting ‘Behold, it works! Now I shall conquer the world!’ (Engineers may not actually do this, but we reckon they have every right to feel pleased with themselves.)
Work it, baby
Making things work is what engineering is all about – whether that’s bridges, space rockets, wind turbines or food additives. As you can imagine, engineering is a huge field – you’re as likely to be working in a laboratory with sophisticated computer equipment as on site with a spanner.
Many engineers go to university to study a B.Eng., and courses have demanding entry requirements. But this isn’t the only route into engineering. Behind every professional engineer is a team of skilled technicians who deal with the nuts-and-bolts jobs (figuratively, and sometimes literally) that keep things running smoothly.
Apprenticeships are a great way to gain these skills. You’ll be getting your hands dirty from day one, and continuing your studies while earning a decent wage. Engineering is a practical subject that needs practical people, so this can be an ideal way to launch your career.
At the end of your apprenticeship or advanced apprenticeship, you’ll have highly sought-after skills and there’ll be no shortage of interesting work opportunities (unemployment rates among engineers and technicians are very low). You could also go on to take further professional qualifications.
The jobs
Engineers come in many different flavours–here’s a taste of just a few:
About the apprenticeship
Apprenticeships in engineering usually last three to five years (there’s a lot to learn). As you’d expect from such a wide field, there’s a huge range of apprenticeships on offer, and the sort of work you’ll be doing varies, depending on your employer. Whether you’re installing central heating systems for British Gas or building engines for Rolls-Royce, you’ll be doing practical things, practising new skills and getting an invaluable insight into the wider world of engineering.
Along with your practical work, you’ll study for an NVQ Level 2 in Performing Engineering Operations, covering essential areas like safety, equipment and how to communicate technical information, plus a range of other options based on your chosen discipline. You’ll also complete a technical certificate and ‘key skills’ – all things that will make your CV jump out at any employer. For an advanced apprenticeship, you can choose from a range of Level 3 NVQs.
About you
Engineers are practical and methodical people who are good at solving problems. You’ll need to be good at maths, and in almost all roles these days your IT skills will come in handy, too. An interest in science certainly helps (if you hate chemistry, you probably wouldn’t make a great chemical engineer), but you’re not expected to know all of Newton’s laws and the Periodic Table backwards – learning as you work is what apprenticeships are all about.
Show me the money
On a typical apprenticeship, you’ll start by earning between £80 and £120 a week while you study (though some offer more). When you’ve completed your apprenticeship, you can look forward to a starting salary of around £20,000. If you go on to study as a chartered engineer, the sky’s the limit – most engineers earn well above the national average, although salaries vary between different industries.
Engineering links
www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk – The Apprenticeship Guide is the ultimate guide for information about apprenticeship schemes across the UK’s many industries. It also includes an in-depth engineering section with loads of information on companies offering training programmes and other helpful contacts.
www.enginuity.org.uk – this excellent careers site is your first stop for all engineering questions.
www.semta.org.uk – SEMTA are the Science, Engineering, Manufacturing Technologies Alliance, who’re responsible for running engineering apprenticeships.
www.apprentices.co.uk – this site puts apprentices in touch with employers. You can search for vacancies in your region.
www.scenta.co.uk – good site for engineering and technology news and career ideas.
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