What route for Electrical engineer.

ripped said:
Thanks Again everyone.

It looks like the Academic route is going to be better then.

These Sandwich courses? Are they just the normals ones with a year release from uni , in to a job? Are they the ones that you work at in the holidays as well, kinda similar to A sponsorship.

The company that sponsors the Engineering course Have gave me information on a thing called PEDAR (professional engineering development and retention) which seems to be similar to the sandwich course , but you get the 1 years "work experience" before you start. John , the dude from TDR ( the "sponsor" company) said we'd apply for the uni place, ask them to hold it for a year, whilst we did the WE year, and i would start a year later, but i would have work in the holidays, and a potential Job at the end. Also we get to keep in contact with TDR and use there mentors if needed.

What one would be better? I'm thinking PEDAR because of the obvious benefits, but the sandwich course is more common.

EDIT; i have just read the above comment, and to be honest, I Quite enjoy maths, im not sayings it fun, but its enjoyable when i can do the stuff. I Am not the best, but have got a A and An A* in Module 3 and 1, But the hardest,5, is coming , and that has trig. etc in , so we will see.

So if i stay at sixth form , will definatly do maths and physics, probably Systems and control, Not sure on the 4th, but i will have to drop one for year 13 ( 4 in year 12, and 3 in year 13). One is called AS and the other A2 but im not sure which way round, and tbh why i have to drop one.
Thanks,
Ripped.
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Just a note on sandwich courses: the uni doesn't find you a placement. You are expected to find one yourself with their help. If you can't find one, you can just carry on studying the year after i.e. standard degree format. Good degree (preferably MEng) and good placement = much better odds of getting onto a grad scheme.

AS is the first year of sixth form - you do 4 or more.
A2 is the second year - you don't have to drop one. I stayed on with 4 I think. Timetable clashes have a say on whether you can do the 4 you want though.
Check if your sixth form college does Design Tech or similar - it's useful but not essential.
 
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Systems and Control is Design Tech (well DT anyway). It's the more electronic/design part rather than woodwork style stuff.
 
DB_SamX said:
Just a note on sandwich courses: the uni doesn't find you a placement. You are expected to find one yourself with their help. If you can't find one, you can just carry on studying the year after i.e. standard degree format. Good degree (preferably MEng) and good placement = much better odds of getting onto a grad scheme.
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So it would be Better to apply for that PEDAR than the sandwich? because I will probably get some help finding the placement.


Amp34 said:
Systems and Control is Design Tech (well DT anyway). It's the more electronic/design part rather than woodwork style stuff.
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It would be a good Choice to take then?

If so that's maths, physics, and systems and control, What other one should i choose, and is it worth it to go to Newcastle collage instead of my school sixth form?

Cheers,
Ripped.
 
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Interesting thread...I would look into both options in detail in case one back fires.

If it was me then I'd go the apprenticeship route to get real world work experience . Then the company might allow you to do a day release to college to do a degree etc (know a few people that have done this - and it seems like a good idea).
 
ripped said:
So it would be Better to apply for that PEDAR than the sandwich? because I will probably get some help finding the placement.
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Never heard of PEDAR, but if it's as simple as it you put it, sounds good. I also actually had the opportunity to do a relevant year in industry (YINI scheme) before uni. I did start it but left after hating it. Fortunately this didn't prove to be a negative issue later on.
 
Yateszy said:
I like maths, but since I screwed up my a-levels and now doing a btec does this mean I will fail at engineering at uni? I think not, if I try hard enough I think I can do it. You make it sound like you need to be a genius to do it, so why do they let btec students into uni then?
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My uni quotes the following:

We will consider national diplomas in Engineering (excluding Vehicle Repair and Technology), Applied Science and Construction. These must be combined with A level Mathematics.

It depends whether or not you're willing to spend time on mathematics before you get there really. If you're at below a-level standard and you start an engineering degree, you're setting yourself up to really struggle. Trying hard once you're there might be enough, or it might not. I would wholeheartedly recommend RHB for before and during your degree.


sigma said:
Don't be afraid to get a maths tutor if needed. Maths is one of those things that you can pick up.
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Perhaps. I think it's something that people tend to hit a ceiling in, beyond which progression is slow. I'm absolutely fine up to vector calculus and it all goes wrong from there.
 
WingZero30 said:
Definitely go through this route. You won't find many jobs which have the title of 'Graduate' Electrical Engineer. You can always top up your education with a degree later on but right now, degrees aren't in demand as much as practical skill and experience in any field. This is coming from someone who has been there.
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Graduate engineers are some of the most high demand graduates in the UK? :confused:
 
Yateszy said:
You make it sound like you need to be a genius to do it, so why do they let btec students into uni then?
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That is the point, the good ones generally don't. Although someone on here said that Newcastle do.

You don't need to be a genius to be do an engineering degree, but you must be organised, competent and stay on top of the work, otherwise the **** hits the fan and **** me does it go everywhere.

I speak from experience as I got dreadful Alevels and failed mechanical engineering (I started the first year of £3,000 fees when the application numbers dropped).
I had to change course so mechanical engineering had been my 'foundation' and I was up to speed to be worthy of doing the first year of engineering. I also had a massive kick up the backside too which helped.
 
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mglover070588 said:
That is the point, the good ones generally don't. Although someone on here said that Newcastle do.

You don't need to be a genius to be do an engineering degree, but you must be organised, competent and stay on top of the work, otherwise the **** hits the fan and **** me does it go everywhere.

I speak from experience as I got dreadful Alevels and failed mechanical engineering (I started the first year of £3,000 fees when the application numbers dropped).
I had to change course so mechanical engineering had been my 'foundation' and I was up to speed to be worthy of doing the first year of engineering. I also had a massive kick up the backside too which helped.
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I always keep ontop of work and very organised however it's difficult getting focused when everyone else in the class would rather play flash games.:mad:

Would anyone reccommend this book to look at before starting an engineering degree or would I not understand it?
 
Yateszy said:
I always keep ontop of work and very organised however it's difficult getting focused when everyone else in the class would rather play flash games.:mad:

Would anyone reccommend this book to look at before starting an engineering degree or would I not understand it?
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In all honesty I found books more of a help once you'd been taught something by a lecturer rather than the other way around.

However, if you can find a library with a copy in and flick through it, you may find it's worth buying.

As has been said before, engineering isn't impossible but you do need to keep on top of the work. Also be prepared to sit through lectures where a lot of it goes over your head (maybe that's just Chem Eng and fluid dynamics seeing as fluids are a tad difficult to model).
 
mglover070588 said:
That is the point, the good ones generally don't. Although someone on here said that Newcastle do.

You don't need to be a genius to be do an engineering degree, but you must be organised, competent and stay on top of the work, otherwise the **** hits the fan and **** me does it go everywhere.

I speak from experience as I got dreadful Alevels and failed mechanical engineering (I started the first year of £3,000 fees when the application numbers dropped).
I had to change course so mechanical engineering had been my 'foundation' and I was up to speed to be worthy of doing the first year of engineering. I also had a massive kick up the backside too which helped.
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+1

Luckily for me the **** hit the fan around the time I realised the course just wasn't for me. If I'd tried carrying on properly I would probably have had a breakdown... :p

Either way changed course to something more "interesting" and haven't looked back.

I'd also agree that maths is one of those subjects where you hit the ceiling. There are just certain things that no matter how hard I've tried I've never understood, even with a maths Tutor.
 
Thread is getting away now but;

I've had a quick look on the IET site, but cant find any info on what Uni's are "accredited"? :S

Cheers,
Ripped :D

Edit; Found it.

so , looking ahead 2 years, would i just take one of the courses on the list, get experience and then apply for Chartered Status?

Im a bit confused here. Also what's the difference between BEng and MEng (Did i ask this before:S)


http://www.theiet.org/careers/accreditation/academic/downloads/accreditedprogs.cfm?type=pdf (link for .pdf of list)
 
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ripped said:
Thread is getting away now but;

I've had a quick look on the IET site, but cant find any info on what Uni's are "accredited"? :S

Cheers,
Ripped :D

Edit; Found it.

so , looking ahead 2 years, would i just take one of the courses on the list, get experience and then apply for Chartered Status?

Im a bit confused here. Also what's the difference between BEng and MEng (Did i ask this before:S)


http://www.theiet.org/careers/accreditation/academic/downloads/accreditedprogs.cfm?type=pdf (link for .pdf of list)
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BEng is Bachelor of Engineering and is usually a 3 year course, MEng is Master of Engineering and is usually a 4 year course - basically with a MEng you spend an extra year studying and get a better degree out of it.

In order to become a chartered engineer you normally need a MEng, as well as 4-5 relevant years of working in the industry to qualify. If you just do a BEng you often need to do further studying in order to become chartered, hence why most of the BEng courses in the pdf list have the "Further learning required" box ticked.
 
Ok,

Cheers again.

I think I have all the information i need now , Apart from one thing.

I need to choose a 4th A level to take that will help me get in to uni. So for I have narrowed it down to;

1)Systems and Control,
2)Maths,
3)Physics.

I was thinking Chemistry maybe , but is there any that you's can think of?

Ill be able to give you a list of the subjects available in a week or so.

Once i have figured that out , it should be the end of this thread eventually :p. Then ill make a new one in 2 years time when Applying for uni :P.

Thanks,
Ripped. :)
 
Systems and Control is my schools alternative to electronics.

Further Maths? Im not sure if i could hack this, Is it much harder than normal A level maths? Well if it helps i try my hardest , and ill probably understand it.
 
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