Moving Forward with
Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering in the UK is one of the most forward-thinking and financially rewarding occupations you can choose, with varied courses and many job opportunities available for students thinking of studying in the UK.

One of the great things about living and studying abroad is the chance to experience the differences of living in a foreign country that entails learning new things every day. Aside from this, you will experience the different teaching methods that the highly trained lecturers employ, as well as enjoying the wonders of the UK’s thriving social scene. From engineering and study, to pubs and music, studying in the UK is a choice you won’t regret.

The array of opportunities evoked by engineering, coupled with the fast-paced nature of this changing environment helps stress the essential role that would-be students have in shaping the future of mechanical engineering, and in turn benefiting the world as a whole.

In the UK alone, engineering as a discipline employs around 1.65 million people and grosses £147 billion pounds for industry. This encompasses professions as various as formula one racing, rocket science, medicine, air safety and design, computer science, and (believe it or not) bras.

British engineers are responsible for helping to create some of the world’s most visited destinations, such as the Sydney Opera House, the Channel Tunnel, and the BA London Eye, and the Millennium Dome. This emphasises the diversity that a career in mechanical engineering can allow. In short, a student who commits to an education and training programme within mechanical engineering has the potential to open doors to a wide spectrum of advancement and opportunity.

Mechanical engineering is well represented within the UK’s universities and colleges, and although employment has declined within this subject over the last 50 years, this is centred around the unskilled and semi-skilled roles, as a result of an increased usage of robotic machinery instead of humans. Significantly, though, the highly contested and skilled roles that offer creativity, responsibility and a dedication to perfection help to keep engineering virtually recession-proof. Government statistics imply that skilled mechanical engineers, over recent times, have consistently shown to have low unemployment rates.

Although the industry is stooped within tradition, through the development of inventions such as Robert Stephenson’s ‘Rocket Locomotive’ to Sir Frank Whittles’s jet engine, the emphasis now is on the future. The home of mechanical engineering -the Institution of Mechanical Engineering (IMechE) - is very conscious of creating a more positive image of the industry. This is mainly through a combination of encouraging a more vibrant type of student to this subject matter, and generating positive publicity for this progressive career option.

With the standards of engineering consistently rising, it is a career option that should not be committed to lightly. However, once you have committed to mechanical engineering, the world is your workshop. To make the most of your options, you should be aware of the paths that you can use in order to reach the ultimate goal: chartered status. If your qualifications are not in the correct subjects to pursue engineering within higher education, you can gain access to a foundation course, such as a HND, as an alternative two-year study programme. You will then need to join an accredited degree course and complete your degree successfully before applying for chartered status via one of the professional engineering bodies, such as IMechE.

Although this is only a brief overview to hint at the potential of what you can achieve through mechanical engineering, essentially the emphasis should be firmly on the individual. You can achieve anything as long as you dedicate yourself to the pursuit of your ideal achievements. If mechanical engineering is your final choice, then the support is there to reward your efforts, leading you to endless opportunities.

The final reassurance is that salaries are rising fast. A drop in the number of mechanical engineering students has led to higher-than-average starting salaries. Chartered engineers now receive wages comparable to other professionals, including lawyers and accountants.

Long-term prospects are also good. 42% of FTSE F100 companies have at least one chartered engineer on their board. That is incentive enough! And good luck in whatever you choose.

For further information, please call IMechE on 0207 304 6877, where an advisor can explain your options in greater depth. They also produce a brochure entitled ’Engineering Opportunities 2000’ that will give you a greater overview of your studying options. Alternatively, call the Engineering Council on 0207 240 7891 for more details.

Author
John Nice
IMechE