• Question: What qualifications do you need to be a engineering

    Asked by roflekak1 to Matthew, Neil, Paula, Pete, Philippa on 10 Mar 2015.
    • Photo: Neil Taylor

      Neil Taylor answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      Hi!

      I guess it depends what type of engineer you’d like to be! Industry needs engineers with skills in:-

      mechanical engineering (e.g. for moving parts, or designing pumps)
      electrical engineering (e.g. for electronics, power lines)
      aerodynamics (e.g. for testing a car’s wind resistance in an air tunnel)
      civil engineering (e.g. bridges, roads)
      chemical engineering (e.g. fluid processing)

      …among others! Some jobs require simply that you have an engineering degree, some require a particular discipline.

      If you are asking about what subjects are needed to study engineering at University in the first place, then I’d probably say Maths and Physics (Technological Studies would also be useful if you are doing Scottish Highers). I also believe that there is a GCSE in Engineering (although I’ll admit I’m not too familiar with the subjects in English education!), which would be a good one to consider.

      One of the best ways to know for sure is to check out what the entry requirement is for the course/university/college that you wish to attend.

      Hope this helps!

    • Photo: Philippa Jefferis

      Philippa Jefferis answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      Everything Neil says below is great but don’t forget you don’t have to get a degree to be an engineer – you don’t have to go via an academic route to get into engineering. There is also apprenticeship schemes that can help you get HNDs in Engineering – definitely an alternative that is worth considering as you can learn a lot by doing a job.

    • Photo: Pete Symons

      Pete Symons answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      This really is dependent on what type of engineer you want to be and what interests you. If something interests you then you are more likely to apply yourself.

      I can’t really add much more than Neil and Philippa. There a number of routes for engineering as the guys have said, but core to pursuing an engineering career is STEM skills. I have a degree, but it wasn’t an engineering degree (BEng) I did a science degree (BSc). I then got a job as a graduate engineer and the rest is history!

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