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Advice on training

Hi guys just wanted some advice on career progression and my options. Here is a bit about me.

I’m 25 served originally a mechanical apprenticeship then completed a HNC in mechanical engineering. I was always curious about the electrical industry and wanted to know more and learn more so I decided to work for a company carrying out maintenance where I then completed an electrical apprenticeship. I am a very inquisitive individual so as you can imagine have many questions on topics I’d like to understand better which at a technician level is not always possible getting the answers off peers.

My interest is in electrical engineering and am wanting to hopefully study towards a HND/ maybe a degree but wanted advice on what you guys reckon is best. I am currently in full time work. Not sure if it’s best to stay where I am and self fund a HND while I still work (I know it may be hard as I don’t think I will be allocated any time at work to study). Or to potentially find a job with another company which will support my studies?

thank you for your help in advance guys

Jack

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0 Roy Bowdler over 3 years ago

Jack,

The differences between “electrical” and “mechanical”, depend on the industry sector. I’m not clear from your post, where the experience that you describe has taken place. I have direct experience of managing the training of electrical and mechanical specialists, in the energy and built environment sectors and a good working appreciation of the field in general, although I’m now recently retired. I’m assuming that your work to date has been “on the tools” and that your aspiration is now to move into project/design engineering and/or management?

In the HNC/D and Bachelor Degree programmes that I was most recently involved in, some modules/units, were common to both M&E specialists and others were different. So, it could have been possible to study additional elements and cover both. However, in practice once someone started to specialise in the workplace, that was the type of work that they got and became “comfortable” in.

Going further back, I was involved in “multiskilling” for technicians in the power industry, but it seems like you have already crossed that bridge. There was then and still is, some resistance to any type of work crossing “traditional boundaries”, amongst skilled trades, chartered engineers and places in between. Although it has long been widely accepted in certain types of maintenance activities, or production teams.

My advice based on limited understanding, is to focus first on employment and the type of roles that appeal to you.

For someone with a reasonable level of experience, the exact nature of your HNC/D isn’t likely to be highly relevant to an employer. Although, for some engineering roles a degree is expected and you might be outcompeted by others without one. Subject content is rarely a critical factor except for very specialised design roles.

In the right role it is perfectly possible to learn more useful and relevant aspects of engineering at work, than it is by studying for a higher education course. Exactly what is taught on courses varies by the college/university, even if the modules seem superficially the same (outlines can usually be found on- line).

You may enjoy some more formal study and find elements that can be applied to your work. However, most academic programmes, are designed primarily for teenagers with little or no experience, so there could also be quite a lot of “wastage” i.e., learning that you cannot usefully apply.
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0 Roy Bowdler over 3 years ago

Jack,

The differences between “electrical” and “mechanical”, depend on the industry sector. I’m not clear from your post, where the experience that you describe has taken place. I have direct experience of managing the training of electrical and mechanical specialists, in the energy and built environment sectors and a good working appreciation of the field in general, although I’m now recently retired. I’m assuming that your work to date has been “on the tools” and that your aspiration is now to move into project/design engineering and/or management?

In the HNC/D and Bachelor Degree programmes that I was most recently involved in, some modules/units, were common to both M&E specialists and others were different. So, it could have been possible to study additional elements and cover both. However, in practice once someone started to specialise in the workplace, that was the type of work that they got and became “comfortable” in.

Going further back, I was involved in “multiskilling” for technicians in the power industry, but it seems like you have already crossed that bridge. There was then and still is, some resistance to any type of work crossing “traditional boundaries”, amongst skilled trades, chartered engineers and places in between. Although it has long been widely accepted in certain types of maintenance activities, or production teams.

My advice based on limited understanding, is to focus first on employment and the type of roles that appeal to you.

For someone with a reasonable level of experience, the exact nature of your HNC/D isn’t likely to be highly relevant to an employer. Although, for some engineering roles a degree is expected and you might be outcompeted by others without one. Subject content is rarely a critical factor except for very specialised design roles.

In the right role it is perfectly possible to learn more useful and relevant aspects of engineering at work, than it is by studying for a higher education course. Exactly what is taught on courses varies by the college/university, even if the modules seem superficially the same (outlines can usually be found on- line).

You may enjoy some more formal study and find elements that can be applied to your work. However, most academic programmes, are designed primarily for teenagers with little or no experience, so there could also be quite a lot of “wastage” i.e., learning that you cannot usefully apply.
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