Question: What sort of place would you recommend going to for work experience if you want to be an Engineer?

Ken Gibbs answered on 20 Mar 2012:

This depends entirely on what type of engineering you wish to do, but there are some possible generalisations:

Irrespective of whether you want to follow a career of consulting or contracting (designing or making, in other words), it’s probably wise to work for a year or two in each of these two disciplines after you have qualified, at least until you have achieved chartered status. “What’s chartered status” you ask ? It is when your professional body (Institution or the like) believes that you have reached a sufficient level of responsibility and ability and allows you to put CEng after your name.

If, on the other hand, you are referring to what and where for your gap year, then the sky’s the limit. Go do something interesting (like Jed and his foray into Central America in search of adventure to help others); or get a placement with a mainstream alternative energy firm (if this might be a part of your long term interest); or work with a specialist hand-made sports car construction unit to get your hands dirty and an interesting slant on your curriculum vitae. Don’t, whatever you do, fill out hundreds of applications and mail them to everyone, because those applications are most likely to end up in land fill or the recycling bin. Rather, go and see the people or firms that you would most like to work with and ask for just ten minutes of their time – and when they respond (hopefully positively), tell them ever so nicely how much you will be able to do for them during your placement. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING to replace face-to-face contact to stimulate an employer’s interest in you. Remember that dress code is extremely important for interviews and at work when gaining experience.