Apprenticeships are still a popular choice for young people once they finish secondary school. A lot of students are consistently pointed towards sixth form, college and then university. Although it’s the more popular choice, it’s not necessarily the correct choice for everyone. An apprenticeship can allow you to build the career you want and avoid any of the cons of student life – the student debt being the biggest downfall. As an apprentice engineer, you will be able to explore the world of engineering and learn hands on, whilst earning the money you want for independence. Mechanical engineering offers a huge range of skills to learn. You can go into your place of work and learn on the job, it’s a very valued way of learning and often has great results for your future career.
There are so many different industries
The field of mechanical engineering is more than meets the eye, the industry can be broken down into sub-industries and there are so many possibilities for your career, including;
- Aerospace Engineering
- Automotive Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Construction and Building Engineering
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Railway Engineering
There are so many possibilities for a mechanical engineer apprentice, I couldn’t begin to list them all. Mechanical engineers can end up working in industry, universities, government – another endless list of opportunities. There will always be advances in the technology these professionals use, so you will be doing impactful work and making a difference in the industry. This trade will result in a full work life, you will never be bored. If you’d like to see some of the mechanical engineering jobs E&T Jobs currently have to offer, click here.
Get your qualifications your way
Different people learn in different ways, this is not new information. So why should gaining your qualifications have different rules. Typically, university courses will offer both practical and theoretical learning, but in an apprenticeship, you get complete control over what you learn and how you do it. Young people can be put off by university because of the course work or maybe they don’t like sitting around in a classroom all day. This is understandable, and an apprenticeship allows you to take control of your learning. You must still put in the hours and turn up to work on time. But when you can do it your own way, people tend to be more co-operative with their learning. By working in an actual workplace, you are not only able to earn your qualifications, you get good industry practice.
Secure your career
When you read a job brief and it specifies “1-year work experience is desired", you have the upper hand. You have the same ability as a recent graduate, yet you have worked in a solid team of engineers. Being able to say to employers that you have done the work, you have the qualification AND you have industry experience, shows that you have everything that they are looking for. An apprenticeship can give you a sense of job security. Another bonus – after you have completed your apprenticeship, the company you work for, may even hire you as a permanent employee. And even if you decide to move on from the company, you have built some significant industry contacts for the future. It’s extremely likely that your contacts have more contacts! Utilise them.
Why Mechanical engineering?
It may already be clear that an apprenticeship is the right way forward for you, but why mechanical engineering?
- There is a shortage of mechanical engineers – Your skills are and always will be needed and highly valued
- There are great salaries available – Graduate salaries are not necessarily higher than apprentice salaries anymore
- After completing your apprenticeship there may be opportunity for further education – You can become professionally registered in your field
- There is so much choice! Named above are only a few of the sub-industries that you can get involved in
- You get to make an impact in the engineering community
- You can learn as you earn, something a lot of students want
Are you ready to look into a mechanical engineering apprenticeship? There are so many advantages to an apprenticeship in this field, I could barely begin to name them all. However, there is a lot of guidance available for you and a lot of room in the industry for mechanical engineers. The benefits are far to rewarding to pass on if this is your passion. Engineering never fails to include everyone.
If you need more information, click here to be re-located to the IET website, where we have useful information on different apprenticeships and the options available to you.