Careers Brief - Engineering (Mechanical Design) HNC/FdSc
Overview
The part-time HNC in Engineering (Mechanical Design) provides you with a nationally recognised qualification to improve your career prospects and the opportunity to continue your studies in higher education.
Success on the part-time Foundation degree provides both a higher level of qualification and stepping stone to a Top-up Honours degree.
As a Design Engineer, you could be aiming to progress into senior design posts or project management, move into research and development, work as a consultant or self-employed on contracts, or move into other branches of engineering and product design. You could be working in a small or large design studio, design consultancy, production company or in-house within a major company.
Employers are looking for multi-skilled practitioners, with technical knowledge and creativity. In addition to your experience with relevant software, you should also promote the key transferable skills and competencies you have developed.
Key personal skills include: being adaptable and a quick learner; effective communication; team working and working on your own initiative; analysing information and problem solving; multi-tasking and the ability to work to deadlines.
Go to the website links below to find out more.
Further Study
You may be able to apply for a top-up degree. Top-up degree courses are designed as direct progression from Foundation degree to achieve an Ordinary or Honours degree, though entry may be selective.
Alternatively, you could transfer onto an Honours degree course. Entry point would depend on your qualification, grades, industrial experience and overlap between courses but could be the final year.
Go to http://onlineservices.bournemouth.ac.uk/courses/ for information on the BSc (Hons) Design Engineering Top-up at Bournemouth University, studied full or part-time and other courses. Go to www.solent.ac.uk/courses/ for information on courses at Southampton Solent University.
To search degree courses go to www.ucas.com/ (UCAS - Universities and Colleges Admissions Service for the UK). Use the university/college links for course details.
You will need to use UCAS to apply for courses. Contact the Course Tutor of your chosen course to find out your position, before you make your formal application.
Find out how much this will cost you. Where is your funding coming from? Go to the university/college site for information on course costs and finance and to www.direct.gov.uk/uni/ for additional information on student support.
With a good Honours degree (First or 2.1), you may progress onto an appropriate higher level Masters and/or PhD doctorate. This could be to develop your area of study to a more in-depth practical and/or academic level or to gain other specialist training.
For information on postgraduate study and finance, go to the national online directory at www.prospects.ac.uk/study.htm .
Go to the main section Further Study of this Guide for more information and help.
Useful Links
The Institution of Engineering and Technology - click on sub-heading 'Careers & training' + 'Education'
The Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies - click on Sector button
ETB - engineering and technology careers
www.prospects.ac.uk/starting_out.htm
Graduate Prospects - national careers website for HE students studying in the UK:
Drop down 'Job sectors' and click on 'Engineering and manufacturing'
Drop down 'Jobs' and click on 'What jobs would suit me?' to use Prospects Planner
http://jobseekers.direct.gov.uk/
Government Careers database and links to jobs nationally. Search by either clicking on side-heading 'Careers' and choose a category or type in job title.
http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/
Government Careers Advice service
www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u
Jobs4U Careers Database - click on sub-heading 'Job Families & Articles' or Quick Search by typing in job title
The Institution of Engineering Designers
Engineering and technology careers and news
GTI Media publication for graduate jobs and careers advice - click on sub-heading 'careers advice'
GTI Media graduate careers publication - Advice by graduate career area
Inside Careers publication - graduate careers and jobs in 'Engineering & Technology'
The Directory of Design Consultants
The Engineering Council UK - professional registration
BCS The Chartered Institute for IT - drop down sub-heading 'Qualifications, Training, Careers' to click on sections 'Careers' + 'Students'
Go to the Job Applications section of this Careers Guide for additional help and advice with making applications.
