• Question: Is being an engineer the only job you guys have done?

    Asked by Ruben on 16 Mar 2021.
    • Photo: Lia Bucks

      Lia Bucks answered on 16 Mar 2021:

      In my “career” after university, yes. But I worked as a shop assistant in the holidays during my last year at school and first couple of years at university, as well as being a “Student Ambassador” at university (doing tours of the uni, running activity days etc). All work experience helps get you to where you want to be!

    • Photo: Sarah-Jane Potts

      Sarah-Jane Potts answered on 16 Mar 2021:

      In terms of paid work, yes it’s the only thing I’ve ever done. To be honest this job is the only proper one I’ve ever had (unless you count being a student ambassador and student teaching demonstrator) as before this I’ve only been in education.
      However I do some pyrography artwork commissions on the side, but that is done purely for charity as I use it to fundraise for the community woodland volunteers and Bushcraft School that I volunteer for. I also teach dance, I’ve been an assistant Tango dance teacher for two years now and taught hip hop before that but both of these roles have been voluntary. I taught hip hop in the university dance society and I now teach tango for a not for profit group where any funds we raise go into transport, equipment and local charities which we support.

    • Photo: Michael Jones

      Michael Jones answered on 16 Mar 2021:

      I am also a private tutor and do teaching at university both as a graduate teaching assistant for undergrad courses and also as an academic leader for Imperial Outreach, and I really enjoy both of these roles.

      I worked as a security guard at the London 2012 Olympics. I worked at Lord’s Cricket Ground for the archery and being a keen archer that was pretty cool, although I couldn’t see much of the live event but the women’s gold medal winner did walk right past me at the end of one of the days. I also worked at Brands Hatch race course while they were setting up for the paralympic road race, that was very boring as it was just standing in a field all day. The hours for both were pretty terrible, 12 hour shifts is not something I would likely ever do again. Also in the end I only worked for about ten days because the company that organised the work was terrible, so not a significant part of my professional life.

    • Photo: Jasmine Bone

      Jasmine Bone answered on 16 Mar 2021:

      Since I left university yes it is. Before university and on my summer breaks I did different work and work experience. I used to work in a shop and did waitressing and cleaning jobs just to earn some extra cash. To try and help get relevant work on my CV I did summer work in a Minerals Analysis lab for a mining company which was good to develop my lab skills, and in the third year of my undergrad degree I did a 1 year placement at a Minerals company where I worked on developing materials to filter wine! It was all good experience for developing skills and confidence in the lab

    • Photo: Mia Richardson

      Mia Richardson answered on 17 Mar 2021:

      It’s my first job after uni, so yes! But at uni I worked on a bar, in a supermarket, in a cafe… loads of stuff! This is definitely my favourite though.

    • Photo: Emma Robertson

      Emma Robertson answered on 23 Mar 2021:

      Before I was an engineer, I had a job working in customer service which was very different! Since then I have only worked in engineering – up until last year when I set up my own craft/home decor business which I do in the evenings after my engineering job!

    • Photo: Amy Carter

      Amy Carter answered on 25 Mar 2021:

      Since I graduated yes, but before and during university I did all kinds of things – shop assistant, bartender, tutor, au pair, waitress, research assistant, cleaner… At the time I was only interested in earning a bit of extra money, but looking back now I have been surprised how much those jobs taught me and how I still use those skills now when dealing with people and handling certain situations.

    • Photo: Magdalena Grzybek

      Magdalena Grzybek answered on 26 Mar 2021: last edited 26 Mar 2021 9:34 am

      Since I left university, yes it is. But before university and during my studies I did plenty of different work and work experience. I was working as a Retail Team Leader at Krispy Kreme, I was a Healthcare Assistant in a Care Home, I was working with Virtual Reality Equipment, Hospital Maintenance, Technician support at the airport, I was a Mechanic and I was working as a Chef.

    • Photo: Anna Garcia-Teruel

      Anna Garcia-Teruel answered on 26 Mar 2021: last edited 26 Mar 2021 4:27 pm

      After graduating yes. But before and while studying I worked as English and maths teacher, in a bakery, in a supermarket, in a call centre for an insurance company, as a waitress, and as teaching and research assistant at the university.

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