ADD ADVICE TO FAVAutomotive engineering
If you’re only interested in automotive engineering, keep a broad view. It’s not only car manufacturers that need skilled graduates – check out the global car component firms, bus and truck companies and engine manufacturers.
The automotive industry is a pivotal part of the UK manufacturing sector – the cars which roll off today’s high-tech production lines contribute around £13bn added value to the economy.
Automotive firms are leaders in global best practice in many areas of manufacturing, and provide a key source of improvement, developing new techniques and raising standards for the UK manufacturing sector as a whole.
Where do graduate automotive engineers work?
Altogether, seven companies manufacture cars in volume in the UK, together with a number of truck, van and bus companies. The UK is also home to the world’s most successful motorsport industry, of course, as well as a number of leading independent automotive design firms, and is increasingly becoming a centre for engine production. The West Midlands remains the heart of the industry in the UK, with around 23% of the industry being based in the region.
But it’s not just car manufacture which offers opportunities. There are over a thousand automotive component suppliers manufacturing in the UK, including such leading global players as Delphi and Visteon.
Some 221,000 people are employed in the design and manufacture of vehicles and components, and a further 550,000 in the motor trades which supply, service and repair vehicles in the UK.
Graduate automotive engineering job descriptions
The global automotive market
The automotive industry, however, has always been cyclical in nature, as global economics dictate purchasing trends and investment, and manufacturers come together. Who would have thought that one day the all-American Ford would own that most British marque, Jaguar? Or that Toyota would outstrip the giant General Motors in car sales on its own turf?
’It’s a challenging and demanding industry, but one full of rewards,’ says Emma Middleton, Recruitment Supervisor for Jaguar Landrover. ’Graduates who are keen to work in the sector have to be adaptable to change, but the opportunities are still there for the right people.’
For many years, Jaguar and Land Rover have run graduate training schemes which give new recruits a wide-reaching insight into the automotive industry. ’The benefit of coming to us is that you get to work in two very different brands, which are each leaders in their fields,’ adds Middleton.
Getting ahead in automotive engineering
So what are employers looking for? ’We specifically look for electrical and mechanical engineering,’ says Middleton. ’Graduates in those disciplines will be fought over.’ Today’s cars, particularly at the luxury end of the market, are brimming with top-end technology, all supported by an electrical team. ’The chance to work with high-level emerging technologies is another reason why people are drawn to this sector.’
But it’s fiercely competitive for graduates, as recruitment and training schemes wax and wane with the fortunes of manufacturers. ’Work experience helps you stand out from the crowd,’ says Middleton. ’Time spent with an engineering organisation will boost your chances of a job’.
Professional bodies for automotive engineers
Automotive engineers are represented by a division of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.
