In the UK "real engineers" suffer because the public and industry in general
do not appreciate the level of training and effect we have to put in to get
our qualification.
I worked from the age of 15 in engineering, doing an apprenticeship and
studying for my engineering qualifications.
This route has now all but disappeared and generally there is a lack of real
training opportunities for potential engineers in the UK.
Coupled with this engineer have little status (hence low pay) when compared
with the rest of Europe and the USA.
Few students now consider engineering as a career and this will lead long
term to a decline in UK engineering when compared with say Germany and the
USA where engineering is still considered to be a viable career option.
I fully agree its is what you can do that really matter, but when industry
does not appear to value and reward your effort, why would anyone think of
taking engineering up as a career. I have been a member of a professional
engineering institute in the UK for forty years and have witnessed a steady
decline in engineers status and pay relative to other professions. Engineers
pay has not kept pace with inflation
Unless the UK government make an effort to promote engineering as a
profession, the UK will not have engineers to support an engineering
industry in the future because at the end of the day its the pay that
counts. Having said all that I have had forty eight year of job enjoyment,
twenty seven of these as the technical director of a major engineering
company. For the last seven years I have worked for a major European product
testing and certification group as a senior safety engineer and again have
enjoyed the job, if not the pay. Unfortunately with great regret I would not
encourage anyone to become an engineer currently in the UK, unless changes
are made to the status they will have within industry. They will do better
financially if they went into accountancy and have far less worry and hassle
than as an engineer.
The feeling I have express are common within the engineering industry in the
UK.
The UK has "modern apprenticeships" now, for those going into work after
GCSEs or A levels (ef at 16 or 18 yars old)
http://www.elwa.ac.uk/ElwaWeb/elwa.aspx?pageid=645
IME *Chartered* status is well recognised and understood. Getting that
status generally requires at least a masters degree or equivalent. This
equates with the same sort of qualifications needed to become a lawyer,
doctor, or other professional. Unfortunately, anything less than that is
not as well recognised and valued.
Rates of 800 - 1000 GBP a day for long term contracts are common and not
exactly "low pay".
As with most professions, you have to move between posts to advance your
career - umpteen years in the same job is not a good career choice for
any professional.
I would have no hesitation in encouraging anyone to take up engineering
as a career, within the UK - if they love engineering. In most
engineering disciplines the rate of change is fantastic, so that getting
bored with the job isn't going to happen. Even if given the same major
project again, the solution the second time is almost certainly going to
be radically different to the first. There can be no resting on laurels
and tales of, "In my day, we did it that way". Keeping your knowledge
and skills in date is a great challenge - more so than almost any other
profession. Hence the need to love the subject - it will consume most of
your waking hours. If you want to do the same old thing year after year
then, yes, become an accountant.
The "disadvantages" are many. Three or more years of a *good* first
degree with a lot of math. Anything less than an upper second is not
acceptable, as it won't get entry to a masters degree. One or more years
of masters degree, either as a taught degree or postgraduate research.
But, if you love engineering, those years of learning are hardly a
chore. Getting the first couple of jobs, gaining the experience needed
for CEng.
But after that, the Universe is your Mollusc. What you do can really be,
exactly "Rocket Science"..
