Resource Pack In association with: Few things are as vital to our society as engineering it has a part to play in most things we use in our everyday lives, such as transport and running water through to smart phones and the internet. Engineers of some description have a part to play in almost everything we use. And it is big business, turning over 1.06 trillion a year. It is also a great industry to look at working in there are plenty of jobs. Before 2010, it was predicted that in the decade up to 2020 engineering companies would have 2.74 million jobs, with 1.86 million being for people who need direct engineering skills. The industry currently hires 5.4 million people across 542,440 engineering companies. Engineering uses maths and science (in particular physics) and can be creative, practical or problem solving in nature. In engineering you could be part of a team that develops the next big thing in technology, or simply improves something we already have.
Resource Pack What types of engineering job can I do? Here are some of the main types of engineering you can do: Aeronautical engineering These engineers design, make and operate aircraft, spacecrafts and rockets. Jets and the space shuttle owe their existence to these guys. Civil engineering Structures are the civil engineer s game buildings, roads, bridges and dams; all that kind of practical stuff we need to form our society. Mechanical engineering Design, build and test machines, engines and other mechanical devices. Computer software/hardware engineering Computers are part of everything we do, every day and the software and the devices that use them are the work of various different types of computing engineers. Nuclear engineering Everything to do with nuclear energy comes from the research and development carried out by nuclear engineers. They also operate nuclear power plants and develop nuclear power sources for spacecraft amongst other things.
Resource Pack Your school leaver routes into engineering: A-levels/IB Highers Taking subjects relevant to engineering at A-level can lead to taking an engineering course at university or a higher level engineering, manufacturing or IT apprenticeship. Subjects like maths, further maths and physics are all relevant. Some special areas of engineering will require a specific subject such as chemical engineering, which will require a chemistry A-level qualification. Vocational courses Far less academic than A-levels and Highers, vocational courses prepare you for a specific job in a practical way, with coursework assignments related to working in the real-world. These courses are offered at different levels and can lead onto further training, further education, higher education (university) or employment. BTECs, Diplomas, NVQs, HNCs and HNDs are all examples of vocational qualifications.
Resource Pack University technical colleges If you are 14-18 years old university technical colleges (UTCs) offer a great route into technical careers like engineering. UTCs are government-funded schools with links to universities and employers and offer specific technical and scientific subjects, combining practical and academic learning. They aim to prepare students for work. UTCs offer the following technical specialisms: engineering, manufacturing, health sciences, product design, digital technologies and the built environment. To find out more about UTCs or to find your nearest college, visit www.utcolleges.org Apprenticeships Apprenticeships are becoming increasingly popular as they allow you to earn money whilst you learn. A wide range of companies now offer them across a variety of engineering disciplines. In most cases you will need a minimum of five GCSEs (or equivalent), including English, mathematics and science or technology subjects, often at grades A* to C due to high competition for places. There are different levels of apprenticeship - those you can apply for straight after your GCSEs and those you can apply for after sixth form or college. Higher Apprenticeships can involve studying for a foundation degree at university.
Resource Pack Now is a good time to look at engineering and technology apprenticeships as the industry needs to double the amount of apprentices in the UK by 2020 meaning more opportunities for school leavers! One company that offers good apprenticeships and school leaver programmes is Rolls-Royce. Rolls-Royce is recognised around the world for engineering excellence and innovation in the air, on land and at sea. Not to be confused with the car company, they are most famous for their work in civil and defence aerospace and are a truly global company with a proud history in markets as diverse as marine and nuclear. They offer world-class training and development on their apprenticeships, allowing you to gain recognised qualifications while earning a competitive salary. Application opening and closing dates may vary depending on location. Please check specific programme pages on their website for details. Find out more about school leaver opportunities at Rolls-Royce here: www.rolls-royce.com/apprenticeships
Apprentice Case Study In association with: Phillip Advanced Practical Apprentice @ Rolls-Royce Embarking on an apprenticeship doesn t mean giving up the chance to get useful qualifications. Far from it. All of our apprenticeship programmes offer the chance to study for qualifications, and even better, you ll be given lots of opportunity to put what you learn into practice at work. For Phillip, who joined our Advanced Practical Apprenticeship programme in September 2012 after his GCSEs, it s led to an NVQ and a BTEC and he s currently studying for an HNC. I ve just completed my first year of my HNC in Manufacturing Engineering at Nelson and Colne College. The step from BTEC to HNC was quite large and at first the workload was a shock, but after a few weeks I settled in and got into a good routine to complete my college work. I ve made some good friends too. I play golf with people from work as well as going mounting biking with some of them. On my first day, all the apprentices met at Rolls-Royce in Barnoldswick and we got on a coach to Derby. We stayed for two days and went to various presentations and on tours of the facilities. After this, we went back up to Lancashire for the rest of the week to do Outward Bound activities and various team challenges. The week after that, we started at Training 2000 in Blackburn. We were based there up until June 2013, completing our NVQ Level 2 in conventional turning and milling as well as fitting and CNC milling and turning. We also worked towards our technical certificate, a Level 3 BETC, one day a week.
Career in Engineering - apprentice case study For about five weeks, I worked on a project to pass a new polishing machine for production. This required me to design and test a fixture which would prevent the V2500 fan blade from being over-polished. The same concept has now been adapted to be used on the XWB fan blade. The new process is twice as fast as the old process because four fan blades can be run in one programme, whereas before the maximum was two. I ve also just found out that I ve made it through to the final of WorldSkills UK in the CNC Turning category WorldSkills UK is all about promoting excellence in workplace skills through competition so I m really proud to have reached the final. I really enjoy the diversity of the training that s available to us on site, and being able to pursue so many different opportunities. It s great to be on such a flexible apprenticeship as it means I m placed in the departments that are best suited to me, doing work that I m really interested in. In association with: Jessica Engineering Higher Apprentice @ Rolls-Royce Before I joined, I didn t think I d be given real products to work on. That isn t the case! Every day, you re given real work on Rolls-Royce products. Once the task is complete, you feel a real sense of achievement that your work will be part of a real product. It s great seeing your work put into practice and being able to say I did that. One of the most exciting projects for me involved the new technologies programme. We were looking at future developments, such as the composite fan and new turbine systems, and these are currently being demonstrated ready to be incorporated into new engines.
Career in Engineering - apprentice case study At Rolls-Royce, there s always something different happening; something new to get involved with. This means that there s something to interest everyone and that every day brings new challenges and experiences to keep the job exciting. As a Higher Apprentice, you definitely make a contribution as part of the team. And because we re fresh into the company, we bring new ideas that may not have been thought of by other people. There are plenty of activities to take part in. Like the Outward Bound programme, which takes place on two consecutive years you do team-building activities like rock climbing and raft building. On the second one, you become a STEM ambassador, which means you go out and promote careers in science, technology, engineering and maths to young people; talking about the programmes and what you do. On my apprenticeship, we spent the first six months or so in the workshop, going out to college every three weeks to work on our degree. In the workshop, you spend about four weeks on each section milling and welding, for example. After that, we started placements. This is when we got to start working on the real-life products that Rolls-Royce makes. Recently, I won the Institution of Engineering & Technology s Mary George Memorial Prize at the Young Woman Engineer awards and I was invited to the IET Annual Dinner. I ve also been to the annual Rolls-Royce Charity Ball, where people from across the business raise money for local charities. There s the German Exchange trip, air show visits, apprentice councils, the Apprentice and Graduate Association which organises social events for us all. The opportunities are endless!
Tips for getting a job Need a bit of help getting start on the path to an engineering career? We asked the experts at Rolls-Royce for some top tips on how to get that dream engineering job. Research Research Research Understand both the role and the company you are applying to. Do not create one generic application Instead make sure to make each application individual, highlighting your relevant knowledge and experiences and demonstrating to the employer how you would be an asset to the company. Take time to complete your application Use correct punctuation and grammar, and always proof read and spell check before submitting your application. Be realistic Be honest in your applications and don t apply for vacancies outside your skill set. Sell Sell Sell Make sure your application sets you apart from everyone else. Think about how your skills and experience relate to the job.
More useful resources Need more help with your careers choices? You can find a wealth of help and opportunities at the following places: www.rolls-royce.com/earlycareers Visit our careers site to find out about opportunities and watch videos of our current apprentices talking about their experiences. TM TheBigChoice.com student & graduate jobs TheBigChoice.com Find quality advice and opportunities in apprenticeships, part time jobs and training on this youth careers portal. School Leavers Guide This interactive app guide brings together expert advice, guidance on career steps and positions from top employers on tablets and smartphones. National Careers Service The official place for careers advice and information in the UK. National Apprenticeship Service Everything you need on apprenticeships and the best vacancies on offer.