Engineering Overview

Overview
There are many branches of engineering, but the two main ones are mechanical and electrical/electronic engineering. Mechanical engineering is about items that move - engines, motors, generators and turbines - and the gears and levers that deliver and produce power. Electrical engineers deal with power generation and power supply - crucial to provide the energy needed to light buildings and run TVs as well as keep industry's wheels turning. Electronic engineering is about the way electricity is used to control equipment, including telecommunications and computers, and controls for everything from satellites to washing machines.

Engineering offers an excellent and rewarding career, and provides huge variety and scope for anyone looking for something more challenging than the routine. Engineers have to enhance their skills continually as processes and technology change. Modern manufacturing techniques usually make replacement of a faulty component more cost-effective for the consumer than mending it. Much of the traditional role of the maintenance engineer has changed accordingly, particularly in the electronics field, with removal and re-installation the norm.

Engineering in the Services
All three Services have a range of highly qualified individuals in most aspects of engineering. Qualifications after training range from Master's degrees, through National Certificates and Diplomas to NVQs at Level 2, with institute membership at the appropriate grade being available to most professional engineers.

Officers will almost certainly have a relevant degree, and will usually be experienced in project management. Artificers in the Royal Navy, members of the Royal Engineers, Royal Signals and REME in the Army, and Chief Technicians and many Junior Technicians in the RAF are extremely well-qualified engineers. They may hold a degree or the equivalent, or HND/HNC, and will almost certainly possess Level 3 qualifications. They will probably use their expertise on different equipment when they leave, but they will have an excellent knowledge of the principles.

A number of other people specialise in engineering, working on whole equipments or components and at the same time gathering qualifications and experience that transfer well into a subsequent career. Qualifications for entry into these trades vary but GCSEs in physics, maths and English are often required. Typically, entrants will start with Level 2 qualifications and work progressively towards Level 3 and then on to Level 4. Many units also have small teams of people with basic engineering skills.

Qualifications and training
Qualifications are needed to work in any branch of engineering. The academic ones vary from degrees (with over 2,500 different courses to choose from) through Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and Higher National Certificates (HNCs), to National Diplomas (NDs) and National Certificates (NCs). Vocational qualifications include Vocational A-levels, General National Vocational Qualifications, Advanced Modern Apprenticeships (AMAs) (Level 3), Foundation Modern Apprenticeships (FMAs) (Level 2), National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).

Engineering Council
The Engineering Council is the engineering profession's lead body; it registers all engineers who have met standards of education, training and professional competence. The Register has three sections:
- Chartered Engineer (CEng) - equates to Officer ranks and experience
- Incorporated Engineer (IEng) - equates to Warrant Officer
- Engineering Technician (EngTech) - equates to Sergeant and Corporal technicians.

The academic standards required for each section of the register are:
- CEng - honours degree or equivalent
- IEng - degree or HND with extra learning modules
- EngTech - Level 3 qualification or equivalent.

All registrants must be a member of an engineering institution, which carries out all the registration and membership processes.

Institution of relevant engineering discipline
Many institutions will only admit people who are CEng or who are working towards chartered status. Others will accept people employed in the functional engineering area in question at different levels. A typical grade structure might be:
- Student
- Associate Member
- Member
- Fellow.

The Institutions of Electrical Engineers and Mechanical Engineering are the natural choice for people with degrees and higher qualifications.

Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE)
The IIE admits people at or working towards IEng and/or EngTech status; it has no CEng members. It has members at the following grades:
- Associate
- Associate Member
- Member
- Fellow.

Other qualifications
Each branch of engineering has its own specialist trade qualifications, relevant to its role. Institutions, trade associations, national training organisations and sector skills councils know what these are and can advise on how they can be obtained.

Employment
The most highly qualified people (degrees and above) generally plan and manage engineering projects, with the next level of expertise supervising their implementation and the least skilled people actually doing the work. Experience leads to the ability to undertake bigger and better tasks, while academic and vocational qualifications make it possible for the individual to develop and move up the career ladder.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

Julian Morley
In 14 years with the Royal Navy, Leading Marine Engineering Mechanic Julian Morley had been to the Gulf, the Mediterranean and the Falkland Islands, and served with the Royal Marines, as well as spending ten years as a ship's diver. He had an NVQ3 in engineering maintenance, and qualifications in outboard motor maintenance, ADR, lorry loading and rigging, with LGV (C+E) and crane licences as well. However, promotion was slow and he wanted more time with a young family.

His Career Transition Workshop was 'a good place to start. I learnt a lot and it gave me confidence'. He also used the information at the Regional Resettlement Centre and the RFEA office. His resettlement training time was taken up with a one-week Efficient Deckhand course to keep his sea-going options open, and a civilian work attachment with HM Plant Ltd - found through visiting businesses and asking if they were hiring mechanics.

His employer had just lost a mechanic and a foreman in quick succession, and the four-week placement showed that he 'could do the job for them and be hands on, getting amongst it'. In one of ten UK depots, he runs a small team preparing new and second-hand plant - mainly excavators - for sale and delivery to customers. This includes servicing, overhaul, refurbishment and adding hydraulic circuits.

His pay is about the same and a bit more with overtime and bonuses, and Morley tells other leavers to 'consider it - it's a big step. Be positive. It can be a scary move so you must sell yourself.'