Mechanical Engineer – Cleaning Careers
Is mechanical engineering something that you are interested in? Why not take a look at what is involved and the steps to achieve your goal of becoming a mechanical engineer?
Mechanical Engineer careers: What’s involved
How much money can you earn as a Mechanical Engineer?
These LMI Job Trends give you a sneak peek of how much you could earn starting out for this career, and how much your salary could grow with experience.
Salary guide for Mechanical Engineer jobs
The starter salary for a mechanical engineer would be around £20,000 (per annum) over time and with more experience in this field you could earn up to £52,000 (per annum).
Of course, a few things can alter the amount you earn, where abouts you live can affect your pay, whether you are working full-time or part-time and more commonly the amount of experience you have within the role.
Skills you need to become a Mechanical Engineer
Useful skills to put in your CV:
Mechanical engineering requires a lot of different skills:
Communication: Is the ability to convey or share feelings/ideas effectively without any misinterpretation, misunderstandings, or misleading people.
Writing skills: Be able to manage your time effectively, set goals and prioritise tasks o you are able to achieve set goals.
Teamwork: Be able to work well within a team and work together to achieve the same goal.
IT Skills: Within the role you may be asked to use several devises i.e., a tablet, phone, computer, laptop and their operating systems and software. It is about being able to operate these comfortably.
Creativity: Being able to use your imagination to create new ideas, or to see a task or problem in a different way.
Work under pressure: Being able to deal with situations that can result on strains in your day-to-day work that may be beyond your control. You are able to deal with this pressure and remain good natured.
Organisation: Be able to manage your time effectively, set goals and prioritise tasks o you are able to achieve set goals.
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How Do You Get These Skills?
Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.
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What Qualifications & Training Do You Need For Mechanical Engineering Careers?
Qualifications and training
To become a mechanical engineer, you usually will be required to have a degree.
University: There is the option to explore mechanical engineering at a university level, you could complete a higher diploma or degree in either mechanical engineering, electromechanical engineering, mechatronics, and engineering manufacturing. The entry requirement for course like this will require 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent including maths and physics.
The Engineering Development Council do have their own website where there is more information available 0n accredited courses. – https://www.engc.org.uk/education-skills/course-search/accredited-course-search/
College: If you do not feel like committing to a full three years at university or feel that university is not for you there is available a Level 4 and 5 higher national diplomas in mechanical engineering. The usual entry requirements for this option are 1 or 2 A levels, a level 3 diploma.
More information can be found on the UCAS website: https://www.ucas.com
Apprenticeships: Exploring an apprenticeship within this job role may be very beneficial due to the practicality of this course, a great way to gain on the job knowledge and experience. When applying for an apprenticeship you will need 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent.
Relevant apprenticeships:
- Manufacturing engineer degree apprenticeship
- Electro-mechanical engineer higher apprenticeship
- Power and propulsion gas turbine
Who can help?
Many professional bodies also offer a range of training opportunities, including activities that count towards continuing professional development (CPD). Find out more below:
The British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc)
BICSc is the largest independent, professional, and educational body within the cleaning industry providing training and education, setting standards and procedures for cleaning. BICSc membership now stands at over 55,000 individual and corporate members in the UK and Internationally.
The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM)
The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) is the body for workplace and facilities professionals. IWFM empower and enable workplace and facilities professionals to expand their potential and have rewarding, impactful careers. The IWFM was established in 2018. It builds on the proud heritage of 25 years of the British Institute of Facilities Management.
What Work Experience Do You Need For Mechanical Engineering Jobs?
It is always a good idea to gain work experience, this will help you gain contacts and develop skills that will help you when you start applying for graduate jobs. Below are a few ways that you can gain that experience:
Internships A year placement in industry – https://www.etrust.org.uk/the-year-in-industry STEM ambassador scheme – https://www.stem.org.uk/stem-ambassadors/become-a-stem-ambassador
What Does A Mechanical Engineer Do?
Depending on the needs of the business you may be working in the office, quite possibly in a factory or even on-site, mechanical engineers tend to work 36 to 40 hours a week.
In all parts of the industry you can expect to:
So, what would your day look like in the role of mechanical engineer:
- Research and develop products.
- Improve products.
- Design and implement equipment modifications.
- Develop project specifications.
- Develop and use new materials and technologies.
- Manage people, projects, and resources.
- Develop, test, and evaluate theoretical designs.
- Discuss and solve complex problems.
- Make sure a product runs reliably.
- Manage projects.
- Plan and design new productions processes.
- Recommend modifications following prototype test results.
- Monitor and commission plant and systems.
How To Find Mechanical Engineering Jobs: Next Steps
Once you have gained the experience you need you can begin looking for jobs within this role, sometimes this is easier said than done. There is a possibility that you may have to enter a company as a mechanical engineering technician and then work your way up through promotions and opportunities to achieve the role as a mechanical engineer, but this is not uncommon.
One of the beneficial things about mechanical engineering is that the skills you learn are transferable and you can then focus on a particular field:
- Construction and automotive industries
- Manufacturing industry
- Medical engineering
- Process industries (pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics)
- Transport
You can search for vacancies at:
The Engineer jobs – https://jobs.theengineer.co.uk JustEngineers – https://www.justengineers.net New Scientist Jobs – https://jobs.newscientist.com Indeed – https://uk.indeed.com/q-mechanical-engineer-jobs.html?vjk=0120f9e71a054d80 Reed – https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/mechanical-engineering-jobs
Memberships are also an excellent way to build connections and network with people who are in the same industry as you, you will have access to webinars, receive discounts on further training and more for a fee, for more information check out the Institution of mechanical engineers and Tomorrow’s Engineers.
Institution of mechanical engineers – https://www.imeche.org/membership-registration/benefits-of-membership Tomorrow’s engineers – https://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/about-us/
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These employers and organisations are here to help. They care about your potential and desire to learn, not just your qualifications and experience. They may be able to offer traineeships, apprenticeships, graduate schemes, first jobs, careers advice, wellbeing support and much more.
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