What route for Electrical engineer.

ripped · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:16

Hi,

Linked with my "Apprenticeships?" thread , and with inspiration from where to go after year 11?.

I want to be an electrical engineer, But I'm wondering what route would be better, apprenticeship or the academic route of 6th form and collage.

I know both ways i will end up in Uni, and that the apprenticeship route will take longer to be a fully fledged engineer, but I will have more experience.

Also I am currently doing a "young Apprentice" program , that leads to a few level 2 NVQ's in PEO2 if that helps. Because of this it would be easier for me to get a apprenticeship through the funding company.

If need any more info , or it doesn't make sense just ask me

Thanks,
Ripped.

Sinny · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:30

If you want to be an Electrician, then you'll definitely need to get an apprenteship.

I'm currently training to be a spark yet by the time I've got my quals I'll only be able to do Domestic work, if I want to do commercian I'll need an NVQ3 which you need an apprenteship for.

I'm currently doing my level 3, which will allow me to do Domestic work. along with various other exams I need to do.

but the new course will start soon which will require an apprenteship. so I'd try very hard to get one.

ripped · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:35

Thanks for the info.

But i Was looking to be a electrical engineer, and not a spark, my dad is a spark

, but he doesn't like the idea of me being one as well, for some reason. :S

Thanks,
Ripped

Sinny · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:39

ripped said:
Thanks for the info.

But i Was looking to be a electrical engineer, and not a spark, my dad is a spark , but he doesn't like the idea of me being one as well, for some reason. :S

Thanks,
Ripped

I think you would still need to do your level 2 and level 3 qualifications to become an electrical engineer. once those are passed I think you can progress to most electrical fields though I may be mistaken.

ripped · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:43

What you mean? like A Levels ?

I don't think you need them, I've only show a few Vacancies that need them.

If level 2 is GSCE I know you have to have them, i will receive my results in august and will finish the engineering course by sometime in may.

Jokester · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:46

To become a "fully fledged" engineer these days you'll pretty much need to do an MEng in Electrical Engineering. This is not to say that going down the practical route isn't worthwhile as having practical electrical skills would stand you in good stead in the future, but ultimately you would need to do a degree at some point.

Sinny · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:46

ripped said:
What you mean? like A Levels ?

I don't think you need them, I've only show a few Vacancies that need them.

If level 2 is GSCE I know you have to have them, i will receive my results in august and will finish the engineering course by sometime in may.

What field exactly do you want to go into, engineering is a broad spectrum that defines many electrical careers.

as far as I'm aware, to do an electrical based course at uni you need level 2 and level 3 qualifications.

I'd taken an apprenteship if you can get one. they're really far better as you're getting hands on experience which imo is very valuable in electrics/electronics.

slambo69 · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:47

If you want to be an electrical engineer, look up universities that have a good rep (Loughborough? etc.) and see what they have to say. If you want to be an engineer and go down the professional route (Like your father seems to encourage you to do) then stay away from the riff-raff and apprenticeships. Having a good degree from a respectable university will open many doors for you.

Sinny · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:48

slambo69 said:
If you want to be an electrical engineer, look up universities that have a good rep (Loughborough? etc.) and see what they have to say. If you want to be an engineer and go down the professional route (Like your father seems to encourage you to do) then stay away from the riff-raff and apprenticeships. Having a good degree from a respectable university will open many doors for you.

He needs some underpinning knowledge before starting any electrical training though, ultimately though you will need some electrical knowledge before adventuring on an engineering degree.

as others have said, you'll eventually end up in uni. but to get there you will need some technical knowledge.

DAnDan · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:49

slambo69 said:
If you want to be an electrical engineer, look up universities that have a good rep (Loughborough? etc.) and see what they have to say. If you want to be an engineer and go down the professional route (Like your father seems to encourage you to do) then stay away from the riff-raff and apprenticeships. Having a good degree from a respectable university will open many doors for you.

Agreed with this, a decent degree from a good university will be the best start to get onto the ladder. Look for courses with placement years (if they're offered in that course, that is) as they provide some great experience to stick on your CV when you graduate.

DAnDan · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:50

Sinny said:
He needs some underpinning knowledge before starting any electrical training though, ultimately though you will need some electrical knowledge before adventuring on an engineering degree.

as others have said, you'll eventually end up in uni. but to get there you will need some technical knowledge.

I'd guess at physics/maths A-levels being a requirement for most electrical engineering courses at uni, but he'd have to check the requirements with each uni.

sigma · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:50

Do you mean Electrical design engineer? Or Electrical technician - working on machines/tools?

I'd go the apprenticeship route personally (unless you want to do design) - you may very well get the opportunity to do a degree later (possibly even part-time) after you've worked your way through.

I found it much more fun actually being in work and doing stuff.

Either route is hard work mind, as I'm sure you know.

Jokester · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:50

Sinny said:
He needs some underpinning knowledge before starting any electrical training though, ultimately though you will need some electrical knowledge before adventuring on an engineering degree.

as others have said, you'll eventually end up in uni. but to get there you will need some technical knowledge.

He would achieve all the knowledge he needs by doing maths and phyics A levels.

jimbobaggies · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:50

From personal experience, an established Apprenticeship with a reputable company (not many around these days), and day release at college on a course such as HND in electrical and electronic engineering (or modern equivalent). You could then go on to uni if your really wanted to, the HND used to count towards a lot of engineering degrees, I used it as a third of the points I required with the OU.

WingZero30 · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:50

Sinny said:
I'd taken an apprenteship if you can get one. they're really far better as you're getting hands on experience which imo is very valuable in electrics/electronics.

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.

OpenToSuggestions · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:51

If you want to be an Electrical Engineer, go to 6th form or college to Alevels (none of this BTEC or NVQ crap) and get a B or C in maths and physics, plus a 3rd Alevel of your choice (not media studies).

Then apply to a decent University - One with challenging courses and a good reputation. A decent example of this is Loughborough.

You don't need a Masters (M Eng) although it is better than the B Eng.

Whatever you do, it MUST be done at a decent University or industry simply won't care!

Engineering is easy to get on, hard to stay on, as people tend to apply for subjects without a real world use such as business studies or sports science.

sigma · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:55

mglover070588 said:
If you want to be an Electrical Engineer, go to 6th form or college to Alevels (none of this BTEC crap) and get a B or C in maths and physics, plus a 3rd Alevel of your choice (not media studies).

That depends what he wants to do. The BTEC 'crap' is actually required for many jobs and is the 'norm' for technicians etc. HNC/D is usually a common qualification from my experiences (not design engineers, I must add).

slambo69 · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:55

WingZero30 said:
Definitely go through this route. You won't find many jobs which have the title of 'Graduate' Electrical Engineer.

Woah woah woah, hold up there sonny.

http://www.gradcracker.com/search-result.php?disciplineID[]=6&search-submit=Search

Theres plenty of big players recruiting all the time for graduates and thats just electrical related. Having a respectable engineering degree can open up a lot more doors than what the title of it is.

Plus the fast expansions in renewable energy, electric cars, the new cable laying etc etc all require electrical engineers.

Having a degree would allow you to into these sectors and more, officer in the services, aviation companies, manufactring industries, advanced research like a phd say and much more.

MikeHunt79 · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:56

Physics a level should help, it covers the basics stuff like ohms law as well as a few more advanced things like the hall effect and a few other things.

Maths isn't a bad idea at a level, I found it bloody hard though. So much harder than gcse.

Then degree, jobs a good 'un!

jimbobaggies · 13 Jan 2011 at 21:57

Although I agree a good degree is worth its weight, if you have working experience alongside an established qualification such as HND it would be equally respected by employers.

One thing you have to decide on is where your strengths lay, are you the academic type, or better suited to hands on. The last thing you want to do is go to uni for several years and come out of it with a poor degree, as graduate engineers with a first, or 2:1, are in abundance.