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Best route into a hands-on roles involving control & automation?

Hi

I would greatly appreciate some advice/recommendations to help make a change of career direction to a hands-on role in control & automation away from being a marine engineer currently desk based managing new-build ship construction.

I have recently made some job applications to roles which involve programming PLCs, SCADA, setting up inverter drives etc.. but to no avail. Fair enough, since I would not hit the ground running. Some roles also require electrical qualifications which I do not have (My seagoing qualitifactions do not qualify me for land based work) so I have looked at doing C&G2365 levels 2 &3 including 17th edition as a way into working with industrial automation and controls, perhaps by working as a multi-skilled maintenance engineer within a factory?

My background is that I have worked at sea as an engineer officer in the Merchant Navy, gained a masters degree in marine engineering, and have worked for a diesel engine manufacturer for many years.

Will contact this colleage tomorrow to ask their advice too, as their courses look promising: www.technicaltrainingsolutions.co.uk/index.html

cheers

Tim

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0 Andrew Clegg over 7 years ago

Hi Tim,

Might be useful to know what job you did for the diesel engine manufacturer, and what type of companies you have been applying for. Are you looking at marine control and automoation, or is it wider, or actually avoiding marine ? I think your idea of going for multiskilled maintenance engineer might be a good one - but might be worth narrowing down between manufacturing (usually logic based automation) or process (with might be more on feedback control - sensors, actuators, PI control). As you say working in a general industry would mean you are not as well trained / experienced as the employer might like, so it may be worth thinking about something that can make use of your navy, marine engineering or diesel engine experience. There are quite a lot of specialised marine equipment manufacturers in UK and they might like your background for supporting commissioning tasks. I'm sure you'll be able to find a trade body for that sector (or look at list of exhibitors in a relevant exhibition) that should give you some companies to look at. Some parts of that sector are quiet (with low oil and gas price), but in my recent experience some companies seem bouyant (pardon the pun).

Hope this helps,

Andy
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0 Andrew Clegg over 7 years ago

Hi Tim,

Might be useful to know what job you did for the diesel engine manufacturer, and what type of companies you have been applying for. Are you looking at marine control and automoation, or is it wider, or actually avoiding marine ? I think your idea of going for multiskilled maintenance engineer might be a good one - but might be worth narrowing down between manufacturing (usually logic based automation) or process (with might be more on feedback control - sensors, actuators, PI control). As you say working in a general industry would mean you are not as well trained / experienced as the employer might like, so it may be worth thinking about something that can make use of your navy, marine engineering or diesel engine experience. There are quite a lot of specialised marine equipment manufacturers in UK and they might like your background for supporting commissioning tasks. I'm sure you'll be able to find a trade body for that sector (or look at list of exhibitors in a relevant exhibition) that should give you some companies to look at. Some parts of that sector are quiet (with low oil and gas price), but in my recent experience some companies seem bouyant (pardon the pun).

Hope this helps,

Andy
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Best route into a hands-on roles involving control & automation?

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