Mechanical Engineering – A Graduate’s Guide
Together with civil and electrical engineering, mechanical engineering is one of the three traditional engineering disciplines. Other than being one of the oldest engineering vocations, of the reasons mechanical engineering is so important is due to the widespread use of machines at home, work and in everyday life.
Mechanical engineering jobs involve the design and installation of all forms of machinery from small mechanical devices to gigantic equipment used in construction and special projects. Mechanical engineers will participate in all stages of machine production and operation. From the research, to developing the concept, product design, the manufacturing of the equipment, its installation and its use.
Of all engineering disciplines, mechanical engineering is in many respects the most diverse. There are many different industries that mechanical engineering graduates can work in including manufacturing, nuclear power generation, aeronautics, agriculture, construction and healthcare. Even though entry level graduate engineering jobs will often not have management responsibility, engineers will usually be required to start to hone their resource and people management skills from the onset.
The job description of graduate engineering jobs will differ from one organisation and industry to the next. But the engineer will usually be charged with developing mechanical solutions that improve safety, enhance efficiency and increase throughput. The mechanical engineer’s work will hardly be in isolation. The engineer will work with people from other engineering and non-engineering disciplines to ensure that project objectives are met. Graduate engineers develop theoretical models and test them in a walk through simulation before moving the model to a real production environment.
Engineers are always looking for ways of harnessing the maximum benefit from using machines. To do that the mechanical engineer must have the ability to understand complex processes quickly with an above average attention to detail. It’s only through understanding how a process currently works, that a graduate engineer can develop a solution that works to the satisfaction of all project stakeholders.
In order to be considered for graduate engineering jobs in the UK, applicants should at the minimum have an engineering degree although an honors degree is preferred. But other than the academic credentials, employers are drawn to graduates that can demonstrate an awareness of the modern business environment as well as an ability to work in or lead a team.
Diploma and Higher National Diploma (HND) holders will often be recruited for lower cadre and technician positions. To become a chartered engineer (CEng) a MEng degree is required. That said, a BEng in mechanical engineering coupled with an approved Masters degree can be used to obtain CEng status. There are mature candidate programs that seek to recognise people who do not have the standard academic credentials whether a degree or HND. Mature candidate programs accredit people that can demonstrate at least 15 years of engineering work experience and that are over 35 years old.
This article was written on behalf Just Engineers. For more information see – graduate engineering jobs engineering jobs