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Technical and Exciting Auto & Marine Engineering Careers

The term 'engineering' is used in many different ways. If either automotive or aeronautical engineering appeal to you, you're probably the sort of person who enjoys a technical challenge. The United Kingdom boasts a very technically advanced aerospace sector comprising of over six hundred companies turning over more than seventeen billion between them, according to Loughborough University. Similarly the automotive industry here provides design, development and manufacturing work for around three hundred thousand people.

Finding The Right Training Courses

There are a good number of universities in the UK offering BEng and MEng Degrees in Automotive Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering, several with international reputations. In addition, some offer post-grad courses for Engineering and Physical Sciences graduates. (Other colleges and institutions offer training in the subjects as well). University students can choose from full-time three, four or five year courses, some with a year out in industry or at an alternative overseas university or learning establishment.

Certain course options will offer students the chance to study part-time, on a sandwich course basis. Engineering students can also look into sponsorship options which are provided by both private industry and the Armed Forces. It's important to take your time and really explore all the different training possibilities that are available.

Automotive Engineers

Automotive engineering covers everything to do with designing and building cars, motorbikes, trucks and buses. It takes in elements of many other engineering disciplines. Things are changing all the time and modern engineers need to lead those changes, for example to produce greater efficiencies in materials and emissions.

From initial concepts to manufacture, automotive engineering can be divided into three main streams. First comes design. These engineers have to design all the component parts and systems on a vehicle. The engineering attributes of an automobile are the responsibility of development engineers. These people often provide information to design engineers to regulate performance etc. Finally, the manufacturing engineers will work out how to actually make the vehicle.

Degree courses in automotive engineering are very demanding, but extremely interesting. Modules will cover all aspects of design, development and manufacture - and use examples to illustrate principles such as fluid mechanics. Auto engineers must be fully conversant with safety engineering - so tests are done for example to check resistance to rollover, seat belt and air bag functionality and front and side crash impacts.

All the components of a vehicle have to do the job they're individually designed for, but also be brought together and function harmoniously. Therefore students need to learn about systems, or development engineering. Sometimes systems or components have conflicting aims, and a trade-off has to be made to deliver both satisfactorily. In the end, developers must have carried out sufficient checks and tests to verify that the finished automobile will be street legal and in line with the manufacturers' demands.

The next stage of course is to work on the manufacture of the vehicle. Manufacturing engineers need to learn how to plan and engineer both the individual parts and the whole vehicle assembly. The responsibilities of these engineers specifically include machine design and layout, and project management of every stage of the assembly.

Aeronautical Engineers

Man's desire for flight has led to momentous developments in aircraft technology. Studying for an aeronautical engineering degree will prepare you for a successful and highly respected career within the aerospace industry. (Some aerospace engineers go into Formula One design and development as well.) Atmospheric pressure and temperature changes place huge stresses on aircraft during flights. An understanding of technologies such as aerodynamics, materials science, avionics and propulsion is needed, and each are very specialist subjects in their own right.

University students will be introduced to aircraft design techniques early on in their training, with modules on key analytical subjects. Examples of analytical subjects are Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Dynamics. Computational fluid dynamics is used to simulate the behaviour of fluid today, which reduces wind-tunnel testing time and expense. Even so, huge structural testing machines and indeed wind tunnels are actually important teaching aids for student engineers.

Group ventures are important when learning engineering skills. Whichever programme you choose to follow, as a student engineer you will be involved with a major group design project at some time throughout your training. Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering training courses may also cover more broad-based subjects and transferable skills. These could include time management, teamwork, organisational techniques, leadership and foreign languages.

Well paid, rewarding and financially attractive careers are available for qualified Automotive and Aeronautical Engineers. To apply for professional status following graduation, engineers should contact the Engineering Council - a national body that promotes and advances the science and practice of engineering.